Colleges

Feel-good story takes an ugly turn

Ben Moffitt's wife says he has left the family, and that she did some of his USF coursework.

By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published January 4, 2008

Ben Moffitt has been portrayed as a caring family man during his USF playing days. "He is living a lie," his wife of five years says now. Records show divorce papers were filed Thursday.
	[Chris Livingston | Special to the Times]

ADVERTISEMENT [Chris Livingston | Special to the Times] Ben Moffitt, who finished his USF football career Monday, poses with son Trevor, wife Shauna and daughter Rylan in September. Moffitt said Thursday that it is "very unfortunate" that his latest family situation was made public. [Chris Livingston | Special to the Times] When Ben Moffitt, shown with Shauna last year, and other seniors were honored in November, his family did not attend.

TAMPA - For the past four years, Ben Moffitt has been a standout linebacker for USF, celebrated just as much as a father and husband who made a daily 55-mile commute from campus to be with his family.

It was a heartwarming story, told everywhere from local papers to ESPN to the New York Times. But for nearly two months, it has been a much different story.

Shauna Moffitt said Thursday that her husband left her with their two children, ages 5 and 3, on Nov. 11 - the day after the Bulls ended a three-game losing streak with a win at Syracuse - and has had limited contact with them since. Throughout his time at USF, his scholarship money has helped pay for the rent or mortgage, but since leaving their Bushnell home in Sumter County, he has not done anything to support his family financially, she said.

"He is living a lie," she said. "He's lying to everyone. He's not helping us with anything."

Their marriage of five years has deteriorated to the point that Shauna, 26, made public Thursday a larger allegation, that she had taken multiple online courses for her husband and written papers for his college classes to keep him eligible to play football.

"I have written every single paper he has ever written in five years at USF," said Shauna, a data specialist in the Sumter County Appraiser's Office.

Moffitt, reached by phone Thursday afternoon, said it is "very unfortunate" that the matter had been made public but declined further comment, referring questions to divorce attorney A.J. Rohe in Tavares. Sumter County records showed that divorce papers were filed on Moffitt's behalf Thursday.

"It's our position that it's harmful to the children when this personal stuff is aired in the papers," said Rohe, who said he was retained by Moffitt on Thursday. "We're disappointed that she would choose to do something in an attempt to damage his reputation and his potential for future earnings."

Moffitt's wife and children were noticeably absent on the field when USF's seniors were honored before their final home game in November. Questioned a week later after USF's game at Pittsburgh, Moffitt said the relationship was fine.

Asked why he wasn't wearing his wedding ring, he said it was in his pocket, that he didn't wear it during games.

The family is well-known to fans; Shauna was interviewed on ESPNU during the game at Florida Atlantic this season, and Ben brought his 5-year-old son to postgame news conferences.

USF has marketed Moffitt, 23, as a family man, touting him for national awards with the phrase: "Linebacker. Leader. Husband. Father." Moffitt, who started 43 games, was a quarterfinalist for the Lott Trophy, which considers off-field contributions as well as football accomplishments.

Moffitt has continued to perpetuate the feel-good story that USF has promoted. Last week, as the Bulls prepared for the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, he was interviewed about his family life by the Register-Guard, telling the newspaper in Oregon: "It's a weird balance. It can be hard, but it also just comes with the territory I guess, and it's been working out."

After their initial separation, Shauna said Ben visited the children twice a week, but that stopped after a month. She said she does not know where he is living, and he has changed his cell phone, initially calling from a blocked number before giving her the number.

Moffitt finished his USF career Monday with 331 total tackles, second only to Kawika Mitchell (367, 1999-2002). He is a projected midround pick in April's NFL draft, rated by ESPN's Mel Kiper as the fourth-best inside linebacker in this season's class.

The athletic department declined comment on the academic allegations and referred questions to USF spokesman Ken Gullette. Asked what students must do to confirm online class work as their own, Gullette was unable find someone in position to offer answers.

It's doubtful USF would face sanctioning unless it could be shown officials were aware of academic wrongdoing, and there's nothing to suggest that. NCAA spokesman Bob Williams said there is precedent for action being taken regarding athletes determined to be ineligible after the fact.

"If a player was deemed ineligible for academic reasons, there have been records vacated, but it would depend on the individual circumstances," he said. "I don't know what checks and balances were in place. Suffice it to say there is an expectation that a student-athlete would do his or her own work."

Greg Auman can be reached at auman@sptimes.com and at (813) 226-3346. Check out his blog at blogs.tampabay.com/usf.

[Last modified January 4, 2008, 00:21:54]