Minnesota will self-report an NCAA violation committed by new coach P.J. Fleck.
Per the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the school will report alleged improper contact between Fleck and a former player of his at Western Michigan. Minnesota hired Fleck from the Broncos after the 2016 season.
From the Pioneer-Press:
“From my understanding, even if a coach sends a former student-athlete a text that even says ‘happy birthday,’ that’s a violation,” Coyle said.
The Detroit News reported last week that WMU had contacted Minnesota “with concerns” that Fleck had contacted at least one of his players. The report emerged not long after WMU linebacker Robert Spillane, the team’s leading tackler in 2016, would be transferring.
Spillane said his decision to transfer had nothing to do with Fleck.
— Robert Spillane (@14rspillane) March 1, 2017
Spillane has not announced his new destination. If he transfers to an FBS school, he’ll have to sit out 2017. He had 111 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss in 2016.
Coyle also said to the Pioneer Press that he’s told WMU athletic director Kathy Beuaregard that Fleck and the football program wasn’t recruiting any players from the Broncos. One of Fleck’s first moves as Minnesota coach was to flip numerous Western Michigan recruits to the Gophers.
Teams self-report minor NCAA violations to the NCAA all the time. For example, one of Ohio State’s self-reported minor violations in 2015 regarded Braxton Miller’s Instagram post promoting a nutritional supplement.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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