FSU had asked for a clarification on whether certain recruiting activities were permitted.
By Times Staff and Wire Reports
Published January 25, 2004
The NCAA and the SEC have cleared Florida of any wrongdoing after Florida State asked for a clarification on whether certain recruiting activities conducted at Florida were permitted by NCAA rules, UF officials said.
"We weren't doing anything against the rules, and we weren't doing anything other schools don't do," Jamie McCloskey, Florida's associate athletic director for compliance, said Saturday.
FSU compliance coordinator Brian Battle asked the NCAA last week to render an opinion.
Battle said FSU based its request on a story in Gator Bait, a weekly publication that covers UF sports. It reported Florida put on an extravagant pregame simulation recently for a group of recruits.
FSU also asked the NCAA to clarify a coach's role during high school state championship games on his homefield. FSU received numerous photos of Gators coach Ron Zook on Florida Field during the FHSAA championships in December.
NCAA rules allow a coach to be on the field during a game, but he isn't allowed to have intentional contact with a high school player before the end of a game and until he has been released by his coach postgame.
The clarification request came weeks before national signing day, Feb.4, and while the instate rivals still are battling for several top recruits.
Battle said he initially contacted Florida's compliance department about his concerns. He said he called the NCAA after information he got from UF conflicted with his understanding of NCAA rules governing recruiting.
Spokeswoman Kay Hawes said the NCAA would not release any information regarding potential violations or investigations.
