Tennessee looking into claims against USC’s Ed Orgeron

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Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton said Monday that the school is looking into claims that a member of Lane Kiffin‘s coaching staff may have violated NCAA rules by contacting committed and enrolled Tennessee prospects after being hired by USC.

Hamilton told the Knoxville News Sentinel that the school ‘is looking into it and if there is any action to be taken, certainly we will. At this point, anything else would be speculative.’

Hamilton said the phone records and e-mails of current employees will be examined to see if anyone sent recruiting information to USC coaches or representatives.

USC recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach Ed Orgeron has admitted to contacting Tennessee recruits. However, he insists some of the recruits called him first.

‘Yes, I did call recruits to clear up any questions they had,’ Orgeron told The Times. ‘In my knowledge, I followed the rules correctly.’

NCAA rules prohibit teams from contacting players who are already enrolled at another school. They also limit the number of times a coach can have contact with a potential recruit. Orgeron could face disciplinary action by the NCAA if it determines he violated any rules.

Hamilton said he wasn’t sure how many Tennessee recruits Orgeron talked to, but acknowledged that he ‘thought it was very unprofessional and unethical.’

-- Austin Knoblauch