Georgia transfer involved in Level II Florida State NIL violations, sanctions | report
A prospective Georgia transfer is the focal point in Level II violations announced against Florida State on Thursday, with the Seminoles being implicated in impermissible NIL promises tied to recruiting.
According to the NCAA, a booster told the player — who is not identified in the organization's release but was reported to be from Georgia, according to Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde — to join Florida State and drew up an NIL deal to help the recruiting pitch. NIL is not legally allowed to induce recruits, though the effectiveness of that stipulation is dubious at best.
A Florida State assistant coach is also implicated in the violations, with the NCAA saying he not only transported the player and his parents to a meeting with the booster, but also that he misled investigators about his involvement in meeting the potential transfer.
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Per the NCAA, the booster — at the time the CEO of an NIL collective that was also a booster — offered an NIL deal worth $15,000 per month in his first year at the school. The NCAA claims the booster then contacted the prospect and their mother via text and/or phone call. The prospect took their name out of the portal and returned to Georgia without having entered into any agreement with the booster.
Florida State and enforcement staff negotiated to Level II violations and punishments that included two years of probation; a two-year show cause for the coach (and three-game suspension to start next season); and a three-year disassociation from the booster. In addition, recruiting visits and communications were limited.
Other punishments from the NCAA include:
A one-year disassociation from the collective
A $5,000 fine plus 1% of the football budget.
A 5% reduction in football scholarships over the two-year probationary period, amounting to a total reduction of five scholarships.
A reduction in official (paid) visits in the football program in the 2023-24 academic year by seven. The school also will not roll over six unused official visits from the 2022-23 academic year.
A reduction in football recruiting communications for a total of six weeks during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years.
A reduction in the number of in-person recruiting days during the 2023-24 academic year by six evaluation days during fall 2023 and 18 during spring 2024.
Georgia and Florida State, of course, clashed in the Orange Bowl this year, with Georgia dominating Florida State 63-3 in the biggest blowout in bowl history.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia transfer involved in Level II Florida State NIL violations | report
