Jerri Spurrier cited for secondary NCAA violation

COLUMBIA, S.C. - It&#39;s one thing for South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier to read the riot act to an assistant coach for breaking NCAA rules. It&#39;s a whole different matter when the offending person is your wife.<br> <br> Spurrier said Friday that his wife, Jerri, unknowingly violated NCAA rules by sending handwritten notes to families of players who had signed with the Gamecocks.<br> <br> It&#39;s something Mrs. Spurrier had done for years, wishing the newest players well as they got ready to join the ball coach&#39;s teams. She kept up the practice when her husband took over the Gamecocks in November 2004.<br> <br> ``She&#39;s done it every year in the past. This year&#39;s it&#39;s a violation, I guess,&#39;&#39; Spurrier said.<br> <br> The infraction, which the university classified as a ``Level II&#39;&#39; secondary violation, was among eight secondary violations the school reported that took place between July and December.<br> <br> Two other incidents involved the football program, according to the school. On July 27, an academic department improperly certified degree applicable hours to two student-athletes in football and men&#39;s basketball. Then on Nov. 29, the school said a football assistant called a prospective athlete during June and July when such calls could not be made until Sept. 1.<br> <br> The later violation was classified as ``Level I,&#39;&#39; meaning it will go from the Southeastern Conference office to the NCAA enforcement staff for review. South Carolina is currently under a three-year NCAA probation for violations that occurred when Lou Holtz was coach from 1999-2004.<br> <br> Spurrier said the offending assistant, defensive line coach Brad Lawing, had not been on the road recruiting since the end of the season.<br> <br> ``A lot of his recruiting responsibilities had been taken away in the last month or so,&#39;&#39; Spurrier said.<br> <br> Lawing, in his first season on Spurrier&#39;s staff, did not want to discuss the violation after practice.<br> <br> Spurrier, known as a head coach who does not tolerate NCAA improprieties, said he made sure Lawing knew not to repeat his mistake. ``I don&#39;t think he will,&#39;&#39; Spurrier said.<br> <br> Spurrier characterized Lawing&#39;s actions as ``careless, lazy, bad decision, whatever.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> ``We don&#39;t operate like that,&#39;&#39; Spurrier said. ``It should not happen again.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> All secondary violations will be sent to the SEC office. The more serious, ``Level I&#39;&#39; violations then go to the NCAA enforcement staff. The ``Level II&#39;&#39; violations are turned in to the NCAA at the end of the academic year.<br> <br> Of the rest of South Carolina&#39;s reported violations, two involved the volleyball team, and one each involved men&#39;s soccer, women&#39;s basketball and equestrian. Six of the eight transgressions were categorized as ``Level I&#39;&#39; while a volleyball student-athlete making free phone calls on an athletic department phone joined Jerri Spurrier as a less-severe, ``Level II&#39;&#39; violation.<br> <br> Spurrier was asked why anyone might turn in the Gamecocks for a simple note from his wife.<br> <br> ``It&#39;s easy to turn somebody in. I got turned in for talking to a kid at a high school during a junior recruiting period,&#39;&#39; Spurrier said. ``I did say hello to him, but I didn&#39;t give him a recruiting speech.<br> <br> ``So anybody can turn anybody in just like anybody can sue anybody in America,&#39;&#39; Spurrier said.