prospect commits to cal

[Husker_Power]

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It was a typical occurrence in today's recruiting world: A big lineman from a small high school holds a news conference to announce where he will play college football.

 

Two local TV stations showed up to film the event, and a majority of the students at the school turned out to watch.

 

But there was one problem when Kevin Hart, a 6-foot-4, 304-pounder from Fernley (Nev.) High, chose California on Friday: Cal never officially offered a scholarship. In fact, it appears no one from the school ever talked with Hart.

 

The situation now is such that Fernley High coach Mark Hodges told BearTerritory.net – a Web site that covers Cal sports – that the matter is "being investigated by law enforcement."

 

At Friday's announcement, Hart told those assembled that he and Cal coach Jeff Tedford had "talked a lot, and the fact that the head coach did most of the recruiting of me kind of gave me the real personal experience."

 

In a Jan. 23 story in the Reno (Nev.) Gazette-Journal, Hart – who while possessing good size, isn't considered a top prospect; he lacks quickness and upper-body strength – said he was considering Oregon, Washington and Illinois and had recently spoken by phone with new Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman.

 

But BearTerritory.net reported that the Cal staff has had no contact with Hart or Hodges and that Hart hasn't been on a recruiting trip to any school.

 

The Nevada Interscholastic Athletics Association is looking into the matter as well, and executive director Eddie Bonine told the Gazette-Journal, "It could be that someone was impersonating those schools." Hodges told bearterritory.net that he had been in discussions about the Hart matter with other school officials and with school-district representatives.

[DeathCultArmaggedon]

Wow, that is bizarre.

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

I hope they can find that jerk through the phone records. Poor kid!

[Touchdown Tommie]

Wow...this is pretty sick if someone was pretending to be a coach....however, the kid must have no idea what recruiting is about nor his high school coach. You would think he would have discussed this with his high school coach.

[REDSTEEL]

Wow...this is pretty sick if someone was pretending to be a coach....however, the kid must have no idea what recruiting is about nor his high school coach. You would think he would have discussed this with his high school coach.

 

I know the name, but have no idea what he looks like, so it's probably the same with a high school coach. He probably has more on his mind then looking for photographs of Tedford. I can't believe it would be a real Cal fan pretending to be the Cal coach, and trying to recruit when that person would have to know it would make the school look bad in the future. (Never mind I guess it was by phone)

[redpimpin']

that's one of the strangest story i've ever heard as far as recruiting is concern...either you got some a**hole out there playing a joke on the poor kid or the kid is looking for attention in the worst way..just curious ..how does the kid not know who the coah from CAL was? ..i mean if i know i was going to CAL i would probably know who the coach was...Cal's been on tv a number of times...kid must be a real dumb*ss if you ask me

[Overland Park Husker]

that's one of the strangest story i've ever heard as far as recruiting is concern...either you got some a**hole out there playing a joke on the poor kid or the kid is looking for attention in the worst way..just curious ..how does the kid not know who the coah from CAL was? ..i mean if i know i was going to CAL i would probably know who the coach was...Cal's been on tv a number of times...kid must be a real dumb*ss if you ask me

Unless the kid was on a video phone call, how the hell is he supposed to know? All the kid got was PHONE calls/interviews. So unless the Cal coach is mic'd up for the TV game, he'd have no idea. George Bush could call my house and I'd have no idea who he was by the sound of his voice.

[Dave M.]

that's one of the strangest story i've ever heard as far as recruiting is concern...either you got some a**hole out there playing a joke on the poor kid or the kid is looking for attention in the worst way..just curious ..how does the kid not know who the coah from CAL was? ..i mean if i know i was going to CAL i would probably know who the coach was...Cal's been on tv a number of times...kid must be a real dumb*ss if you ask me

Unless the kid was on a video phone call, how the hell is he supposed to know? All the kid got was PHONE calls/interviews. So unless the Cal coach is mic'd up for the TV game, he'd have no idea. George Bush could call my house and I'd have no idea who he was by the sound of his voice.

 

I see your point to a degree... but to say you wouldn't be able to tell George Bush's voice?????

Have you never listened to him on the radio or the TV??? Thats not so believable.

[BigWillie]

Sounds to me like some of his buddies pulled a good one over on him.

 

Seems to me the kid nor his coach are the sharpest knife in the drawer. Perhaps they have not heard of caller ID these days?

 

The coach is to blame for having no direct contact with the coaches from Cal in setting up visits, etc., for his player. It is also the coaches fault for no calling the coaches from Cal himself to see their interest was genuine.

 

Kid got played as did his coach for pretty much played and they can really blame no one but themselves.

[Husker_Power]

Unrecruited prospect admits to hoax

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The story of the "recruitment" of a little-known Nevada offensive lineman took another bizarre twist Wednesday, with the player admitting everything was a hoax.

 

Kevin Hart, a 6-foot-5, 290-pounder from Fernley (Nev.) High, apologized in a statement issued Wednesday - National Signing Day - through the Lyon County School District.

 

"I wanted to play D-1 ball more than anything," the statement said. "When I realized that wasn't going to happen, I made up what I wanted to be reality. I am sorry for disappointing and embarrassing my family, coaches, Fernley High school, the involved universities and reporters covering the story."

 

Last Friday, Hart committed to California in a ceremony at the Fernley High gym. Most of the student body turned out, as did two TV stations and reporters from a local newspaper.

 

During his announcement ceremony, Hart said he and Cal coach Jeff Tedford "had talked a lot, and the fact that the head coach did most of the recruiting of me kind of gave me the real personal experience."

 

But there was one problem: No one from the school ever talked with Hart.

 

BearTerritory.net, a site on the Rivals.com network that covers Cal athletics, began to investigate the situation further. They learned that Hart had not been offered a scholarship by the Bears. After doing some more digging, they received scouting reports that the prospect was likely a walk-on at best.

 

Once other media outlets learned that Hart wasn't considered a prospect by schools he said were recruiting him, Fernley High coach Mark Hodges said the matter was "being investigated by law enforcement."

 

Saturday, sheriff deputies interviewed Hart, who told them someone by the name of "Kevin Riley" acted as a middle man in the recruiting process. A sheriff's report said Hart told a deputy that "Riley" told him there were scholarship offers available. Hart also told deputies he thought "Riley" was from Las Vegas.

 

Tuesday, Lyon County sheriff's detectives said they were investigating Hart's claim that he paid "Riley" to help him get a scholarship. "We do have a report of some sort of a recruiting deal with Kevin Hart," sheriff department Lt. Rob Hall said then. "There's a lot of facts that we're trying to run down to corroborate what he's telling us."

 

Then Wednesday morning, Hall said Hart had been "unable to provide any phone numbers, addresses" or other contact information for "Riley." Hart came clean later in the day.

 

After Hart's statement was released, Teri White, assistant superintendent of the Lyon County School District, told the Reno (Nev.) Gazette-Journal that the district is continuing an internal investigation into the situation.

[BeachBuffs]

Where is Coach Eric Taylor of the Dillon Panthers when you need him?

[Overland Park Husker]

All I can say is wow.....that kid has issues.

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

A definate character issue. While kids have done worse things you have to wonder how his teammates will treat him if he gets to play Division II.

[Huskerballz]

Sucks for him. Although I have to give him credit, it takes a lot of balls to hold a press conference and announce that you have accepted a fake scholarship to a major D1 school.

[Touchdown Tommie]

Sucks for him. Although I have to give him credit, it takes a lot of balls to hold a press conference and announce that you have accepted a fake scholarship to a major D1 school.

 

I don't know if I would call it "balls" to hold a press conference. I think this kid has some major issues. Good luck ever having any credibility to your name.