What Kirby Smart said about Tennessee paying Darnell Washington, former Georgia tight end
NASHVILLE — Georgia football coach Kirby Smart said he read a Knox News report of former Bulldogs tight end Darnell Washington being tied to NCAA violations at Tennessee, but other than that, he didn’t know much about the situation.
He said he was unaware that Washington was paid by a Tennessee assistant.
“No, we don’t get involved in any kind of NCAA investigation,” Smart said Tuesday at SEC Media Days. “Wasn’t aware of it or known about it, really anything to do with it. I saw the reports like you guys did.”
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Tennessee assistant coach Brian Niedermeyer delivered $750 in cash to Washington in a Las Vegas parking lot in January 2019 and joined Washington’s family on a December 2019 flight for his official visit to Knoxville, according to the report by Knox News. It cited a source with direct knowledge of Washington’s recruitment.
Tennessee also provided nearly $2,000 in impermissible benefits in the form of free lodging, meals and apparel on visits accompanied by family and a high school coach during two Washington unofficial visits to Knoxville in 2019.
Tennessee was found to have committed more than 200 violations — including 18 Level 1 violations — during a three-year period when Jeremy Pruitt was head coach. Niedermeyer and nine other Tennessee staff members, including Pruitt, were fired in the wake of the scandal. The NCAA announced its verdict July 14.
Washington, a five-star prospect, signed with Georgia in the early period in December 2019 and announced his decision at an all-star game in early January. He picked the Bulldogs over Tennessee, Alabama, Florida and Miami.
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“My mom loved Tennessee a lot and she was kind of down for a bit, but she is all-in now,” Washington told Dawgs247 after he announced his decision.
Washington was a third-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in April’s NFL draft. He ended his Georgia career with 45 catches for 774 yards and three touchdowns in three seasons. He had 28 catches for 454 yards and two touchdowns as a junior in Georgia’s run to a second straight national title.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: What Kirby Smart said about Tennessee paying TE Darnell Washington
