Spokesman: OSU looking into possible rules issue involving Braxton Miller
Northeast Ohio Media Group
COLUMBUS
Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller walked through the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Tuesday with an icepack on his shoulder after practice and another round of rehab.
Getting his shoulder back in shape may not be all that fun, but Miller had a smile on his face. Then Miller put up a photo on his Instagram account Tuesday and made his life, at least in the moment, a little more complicated.
Miller posted a photo of himself with a local trainer he has been working with next to AdvoCare nutritional products. Miller also had links on his personal Instagram page to AdvoCare information pages about products that could be ordered through Miller.
Neither the NCAA nor two Ohio State compliance department officials responded to requests to clarify the rules regarding college athletes selling products. An Ohio State spokesman said the school was looking into the situation.
Here’s where things seem to stand for now.
AdvoCare is the title sponsor of the Texas Bowl. Arkansas beat Texas in that bowl last year. Just thought that was worth mentioning.
It does seem like an athlete can have a job selling a product like AdvoCare. But the athlete can’t use his likeness to promote the product, or allow someone else to use his likeness to do so.
A Purdue walk-on basketball player successfully petitioned the NCAA in the fall to be able to use his photo and name for his real estate business. He just couldn’t associate Purdue in any way.
Miller previously had links to his AdvoCare contact information on his Instragram page. Those have been removed.
Both Miller and another trainer have removed from Instagram the original photo of Miller and a trainer with the AdvoCare products.
The training center Instagram account still has a photo that includes Miller and mentions Advocare in the caption. The trainer also features on his account a video of Miller working out, with AdvoCare among the hashtags listed with the video.
Potential NCAA violations in these areas could affect a player’s eligibility. However, those eligibility issues often are dealt with by issuing an initial ineligibility ruling and then making the athlete eligible again as soon as he somehow makes amends for the violations.