July 20, 2006Meanwhile ND coach calls allegation of negative recruiting 'amusing'
On second thought, Jamie Cumbie doesn't recall anyone at Notre Dame characterizing the education at Clemson University as "horrible."
In a statement released through Clemson sports information director Tim Bourret, Cumbie stood by his claim that Notre Dame compared the education levels at the two schools, but appeared to back off the characterization of the ND coaching staff's tone."
In an article in the Charleston (S.C.) Post Courier earlier this week I was quoted as saying that Notre Dame recruiters had said Clemson's education was horrible," Cumbie said Thursday. "I did not characterize our conversations properly in that interview.
"No one from Notre Dame, either in writing or in general conversation, said Clemson had a horrible education. Notre Dame made a comparison in different areas between the two schools and the facts made Notre Dame look better. One of the areas was education. I am sure everyone makes comparisons during the recruiting process. It didn't bother me at all.
"No one from Notre Dame did anything wrong in their recruitment and I wish them the best this season."
Cumbie did not address the timing of Notre Dame's recruiting pitches this time around - in his original comments, he said Notre Dame continued to aggressively recruit him after his verbal commitment to Clemson. Verbal commitments are non-binding, and it is common for schools to pursue "committed" athletes up until they sign a binding national letter of intent.
Cumbie wasn't the only one issuing a prepared statement on Thursday. Notre Dame coach denied allegations of "negative recruiting" attributed to Cumbie, first by the Charleston paper and also run in Thursday's South Bend Tribune. "
I find it quite amusing that a student-athlete already enrolled at another university has decided to be the team spokesman on Notre Dame recruiting practices," Weis said in a prepared statement issued through the university's office of sports information. "There is an obvious contradiction between how this was handled and what was stated. We do not use negative recruiting tactics. All we do is represent what Notre Dame stands for."
Cumbie told the Charleston paper earlier this week that Notre Dame coaches continued to pursue him after he had verbally committed to Clemson. Though he graduated from Morris (Ill.) High School near Chicago, Cumbie grew up in South Carolina and grew up a Clemson fan."
They said Clemson has a horrible education," Cumbie reportedly told Post and Courier reporter Larry Williams about Notre Dame's coaching staff."
If supporting Notre Dame academics can be misconstrued as speaking down on another school's academics, call us guilty," Weis said in the statement. "Coach Dan Darlington, the former head coach at Morris High School, and coach George Dergo, who succeeded him, were on top of everything we were doing. This is an obvious case of negative reporting against Notre Dame by other institutions. Maybe they should look in the mirror."
