Columbus, Ohio ? Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel wanted to reward two of his players for being named Academic All-Americans. Unfortunately for Tressel, his actions resulted in reporting a secondary violation to the NCAA, according to a published report.
Receiver Anthony Gonzalez and fullback Stan White Jr. joined Tressel on a private jet to see the Buckeyes’ men’s basketball team play in the Final Four earlier this year, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported.
Tressel reportedly believed the act was OK since both players had already used up all their eligibility, signed with an agent and were no longer considered student-athletes by the school.
The paper said Ohio State compliance director Doug Archie spotted White and Gonzalez sitting with Tressel. The school told the NCAA about the incident and said in its report that the trip was used to “cultivate the relationship of future and current donors.”
