The shit might be hitting the fan in the SEC as we type. Today, Yahoo! Sports released a story claiming that five SEC players received extra benefits during their time playing football at their respective schools. The five players found to be in violation are D.J. Fluker from Alabama, Tyler Bray from Tennessee, Maurice Couch from Tennessee, Fletcher Cox & Chad Bumphis, who are both from Mississippi State.
The players names and identities were revealed after a series of text messages and emails were found, that linked them to former Alabama defensive end Luther Davis, who was serving as an intermediary between several agents and players. Along with the text messages, Yahoo Sports was able to link Davis to the athletes through Western Union receipts, bank transfers, and flight history.
OS REWIND: SEC, ESPN Announce SEC Network For 2014
Over the span from September 2011 through December 2012, around $45,000 went from agents to Davis and then to the players. If this is all proven, it would violate the NCAA regulations that at one time got Reggie Bush in trouble and ultimate revoked his Heisman trophy. All in all, this will be a very serious case when the NCAA steps in and fully begins their own investigation. The evidence laid out by Yahoo! Sports is extremely in-depth and could spell a lot of trouble for a lot of people in college football.
The real question will now be, to what extent did coaches or administrators at these schools know regarding players getting extra benefits? This is not the type of case that will be brushed under the rug either, as too much evidence has already been found and made public but Alabama could be the one to lose the most out of it. It also comes at a very interesting time for the NCAA because the possible game of the year will be taking place Saturday, between the #1 ranked Crimson Tide and the OVO Johnny lead Texas A&M.
Stay tuned for more details about this story as it progresses.
[Source]