Even with his college football days behind him, Tim Tebow is being haunted by NCAA rule book. In eight-second sound bites.
Cleveland.com reported that Tebow committed a secondary NCAA recruiting violation when he spoke to an Ohio State recruit who had called Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer.
Clifton Garrett, a linebacker from Illinois, called Meyer on March 9, 2013, according to Cleveland.com. When Meyer told Garrett that he was having lunch with Tebow, Garrett asked whether he could speak to the former NFL quarterback who played for Meyer at the University of Florida.
Meyer handed the phone to Tebow, who talked to Garrett, briefly, according to a self-report Ohio State filed with the NCAA about the secondary violation.
While a multitude of rules exist about the recruitment of a prospective student-athlete for a university, one rule indicates that former players of a university not employed by that university cannot participate in the recruiting process.
Ohio State found out about the violation when Garrett tweeted his phone call experience with Meyer and Tebow.
From @CG340: "I just called Coach Meyer just ta see whats up and next thing you know I was talking on the phone to TIM TEBOW!!! #InShockRightNow #Insane!"
Ohio State's report to the NCAA stated:
"Upon receiving the call, Coach Meyer informed Garrett that he was on vacation and having lunch with friends and family, including Tim Tebow. Garrett asked Coach Meyer if he could wish Tebow good luck on the upcoming season. Coach Meyer handed the phone to Tebow and Garrett conversed with Tebow for approximately eight seconds. Coach Meyer stated that no recruiting conversation occurred, there was no intent to have Tebow recruit on behalf of Ohio State and he, in fact, did not recruit on behalf of Ohio State.
"Çoach Meyer reported that Garrett was not instructed to call by anyone from the Ohio State football staff and that neither he nor Tebow had any other communication with any other prospects during the lunch. Coach Meyer further indicated that Tebow has never spoken with any other prospective Ohio State student-athletes. Coach Meyer understands that the communication between Garrett and Tebow was an error on his part. However, he was adamant that it was a reflexive, courteous action rather than an intentional attempt to involve Tim Tebow in the recruiting process."
Garrett ended up signing with LSU on National Signing Day of Feb. 5.
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