NCAA says Alabama booster paid cash to influence recruits

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- An Alabama booster offered a high school player's coach $115,000, and another recruit got $20,000 from a booster, including $10,000 cash in a plastic bag, according to NCAA charges disclosed Friday.

The NCAA charges of rules violations, released by the university, said the booster who offered $115,000 actually made at least three cash payments of $10,000 to the high school coach to influence the player's recruitment.

The university listed what appeared to be 11 major violations of NCAA rules in a letter given to the school by the NCAA. But Alabama was not accused of a lack of institutional control, which can bring the stiffest penalties.

The charges outlined in the NCAA letter included cash payments to recruits by "representatives of the university's athletics interests," commonly known as boosters, as well as stripper parties in Tuscaloosa for recruits.

The names of those involved were deleted from the documents the university handed out at a news conference. School officials also said they would have no further comment as they prepared to respond to the allegations.

The charges included a claim that in 1995-97, a period when Gene Stallings and Mike DuBose were the Crimson Tide's head coaches, a recruit and his parents received $20,000 in cash, lodging and entertainment from a booster. The payments included $10,000 in cash, the NCAA letter said.

It said the player signed with Alabama but didn't enroll.

In the separate charge alleging $115,000 was offered and three payments of $10,000 were made, the NCAA said the high school coach used $5,000 to make a down payment on a 2000 Ford Explorer.