Bet on it

NCAA not finished with McPherson or FSU yet

It’s understandable that Adrian McPherson and Florida State would be itching to move on down the road. The ex-Seminole quarterback wants to resume his college football career. And Florida State officials want to duck out of the NCAA spotlight as their high-profile football team gears up for another season.

But according to various legal and college athletics sources, as well as those close to the NCAA, neither McPherson nor FSU is likely to get its wish anytime soon.

In fact, after McPherson pleaded no contest to gambling and theft charges last month, there is a serious question whether he will ever be cleared to play by the NCAA. South Florida has rejected his overtures and two days ago Tennessee State gave him another thumbs down. That’s the fallout of a former schoolboy Mr. Football in the state of Florida having his name linked to gambling.

As for FSU, T.K. Wetherell sounded more like a wishful Seminole booster than university president when he declared last week that the NCAA is no longer looking at his athletic program. The bold pronouncement by the former Florida House speaker -- “They aren’t coming. It’s a non-issue’’ -- raised more than a few eyebrows at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, where investigators continue to have an interest in FSU, enough so that a formal investigation is still under consideration.

Predicting the direction where NCAA gumshoes are headed is always risky business. Yet there’s a chance, sources say, they may cast an official eye towards Tallahassee after tidying up messes at Baylor, Washington and Ohio State. So a long shadow may linger over the program through the upcoming football season and beyond.

One person interviewed about the McPherson situation by the NCAA told SI.com, “[Investigators] think something is going on down there and this [McPherson situation] is the tip of the iceberg, whether it’s gambling or something else."

Wetherell and FSU officials apparently jumped the gun on a couple counts. First, the NCAA would be foolish not to see what comes out of the September felony trial of alleged campus bookie Derek Delach, who allegedly took bets for McPherson and was close to other FSU athletes, particularly baseball players. And perhaps more important, NCAA investigators haven’t yet been afforded a sit-down interview with McPherson.

NCAA officials refused comment on either McPherson or Florida State. Before deciding whether to launch a formal investigation, sources said the NCAA couldn’t get to that point without first interviewing a central figure like McPherson.

McPherson and his attorney, Grady Irvin, who has so far not made his client available, have frustrated investigators. Irvin declined comment when asked about his strategy.

Right now, you could argue it’s not helping McPherson get back in the game. Or the Seminoles.

While Tennessee State athletic director Teresa Phillips says McPherson’s passing arm "perked the interest" of her coaches, she told them to forget it after hearing of his lack of cooperation with the NCAA.

“The NCAA e-mailed me and gave me six points about Adrian," Phillips said. "And the last one was, ‘We know there are rumors out there that he has settled his score with the NCAA, but he has not.’

“So I [told] my coaches: ‘You all are listening to what individuals are telling you who have [McPherson’s] interest in mind. From my perspective as athletics director, I’m going to look into things with our interest in mind.’ When you start throwing out words like gambling, that is serious.

“So it was easy after I got my information from the NCAA to then make a decision that it just wouldn’t be a good situation for Tennessee State to get involved with this young man."

The risk was too great for a program with its own NCAA issues. The reward too little.

McPherson can’t play this season unless the NCAA grants a waiver, anyway. Because he attended classes briefly at Murray State earlier this year, he blew the one-time transfer exception allowing a player to move from a 1-A to a 1-AA program without having to sit out a season. And there’s also a good chance the NCAA will take away at least a year of eligibility because of the gambling allegations.

“The most alarming thing the [NCAA] told me -- and [McPherson] may tell a different story -- was that they had been trying to get with him, and that he had not gotten with them to discuss the gambling issues and matters," said Phillips, who was promoted to athletic director in April. “That was a big source of discomfort. I know he had his legal case that might have had a precedent in his mind, [but] if you have an interest playing at a NCAA institution you should be open to talk to them. You need to begin to resolve that matter before you go and try to enroll in a school and compete.

“From the NCAA’s perspective, they had been attempting for six months to get it done. Then, you look at that and say, 'Hmm.'"

If he wants to play college ball at other than a NAIA school, McPherson would be smart to chat up NCAA investigators. Meanwhile, FSU is left to play the waiting game.

Mike Fish is a senior writer for SI.com.

Comments? To e-mail Fish, click here.

 

Related information

Stories

Previous Mike Fish Columns

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video