Grambling gets letter on possible violations

The NCAA letter concerned Maurice Clarett and possible recruiting violations.
GRAMBLING, La. (AP) -- Comments by Grambling football coach Doug Williams about suspended Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett have prompted an official NCAA inquiry into possible violations of recruiting rules.
The possible infraction was outlined in a Sept. 15 letter from Chris Strobel of the NCAA to Grambling athletics director Al Dennis.
Clarett was reportedly considering a transfer to the Division I-AA school, after he was suspended by Ohio State. He would not have had to sit out a season if he transferred down from Division I-A.
Messages were left Wednesday for Strobel, the NCAA's director of enforcement for secondary infractions.
Never spoke to Clarett
Both Williams and Dennis have consistently said they have never spoken to Clarett.
"I'm puzzled by the idea that we would get a letter, if there was no contact by either party," Williams said.
The inquiry refers to a section of the regulations stipulating that colleges may not contact a student-athlete at another school -- even indirectly -- without written permission from the player's current athletics director.
"They are saying that we indirectly made contact with the kid through the media," Dennis said.
He confirmed that Grambling never received clearance to talk to Clarett, but also that they weren't seeking it.
"When all of this broke, our registration was already closed. He wasn't coming to Grambling, anyway," Dennis said.
What sparked inquiry
Williams said he suspects that entering a Sept. 9 news conference while carrying a No. 13 Grambling jersey sparked the inquiry. Clarett wears that number at Ohio State.
"I was poking fun at the local media that I see every week," Williams said. "This is very small. There are a whole lot of things that have happened with Clarett that are bigger than poking fun with a No. 13 jersey. I find it hard to believe."
Strobel's letter doesn't mention possible sanctions or a deadline for responding.
"This wasn't an attempt to contact Clarett," Dennis said. "If he's asked a question, 'Would you like to have a player of Clarett's ability on your team?' -- can that be construed as trying to contact him? We don't see it that way."