USC's Joe McKnight under investigation

[Southpaw]

Just USC being USC. This is the same guy who screwed up his presser when he signed his LOI with USC, by saying he had telephone conversations with USC that were illegal. Nothing then and probably nothing now.

Updated: December 19, 2009, 8:31 AM ET
Report: McKnight under investigation

ESPN.com news services

USC tailback Joe McKnight has been driving a 2006 Land Rover owned by a Santa Monica, Calif., businessman, the Los Angeles Times reported on Friday.

USC is investigating McKnight's use of the vehicle to find out if it is in violation NCAA rules. It is against NCAA rules for athletes to accept benefits from agents or marketing representatives, or to accept "extra benefits" based on their ability.

The Times reported McKnight has been seen driving the SUV, which the California Department of Motor Vehicles says is registered to Scott Schenter.

Schenter, 47, works in marketing and owns a company that registered a Web site called 4joemcknight.com, according to the newspaper.

Schenter's wife, Dawn, told the Times he was in South Africa. Reached by e-mail, Schenter didn't respond to a list of questions sent by the newspaper, according to the report.

If McKnight is in violation of NCAA rules, it could affect his eligibility. USC plays Boston College in the Emerald Bowl on Dec. 26 in San Francisco.

USC is already being investigated by the NCAA and Pac-10 regarding accusations that running back Reggie Bush and basketball star O.J. Mayo received improper benefits during their time at the school.

McKnight is the Trojans' leading rusher with 1,014 yards this season.

"Compliance has this in a full review and so we'll have to wait and see what happens with that," coach Pete Carroll said. "I really can't tell you anything. I don't know anything more than that."

McKnight told the Times on Wednesday he has ridden in the Land Rover but never driven it. McKnight's girlfriend, Johana Michelle Beltran, works as a secretary for Schenter, he said.

"I know I can't drive cars I'm not supposed to," McKnight said. "If somebody said they spotted me driving, they're seeing wrong. I don't even have the keys."

McKnight and Beltran are the parents of a 10-month-old son, Jaiden. McKnight told the Times the Land Rover belonged to "my baby mama's boss."

"I never talk to her about it," he said of the SUV. "I just see it whenever my girlfriend's around with my kid. I ask no questions. I just do what I got to do."

 

[Russ Smith]

http://news.lalate.com/2009/12/19/exclusive-joe-mcknight-scott-schenter/

This says that the owner of the SUV also paid to register the domain name 4joemcknight.com which if I understand the rules could be a violation. I googled him he's a UW grad not a USC grad so he might not be considered a booster.

 

[Russ Smith]

FYI there's a guy posting on UCLA's scout site the football board who says he's a cop in LA and he and his partner actually stopped McKnight driving the car with 2 USC players in the car too. He said it was an "equipment related" stop and they just gave him a warning they didn't issue an actual fix it ticket but it was absolutely the SUV mentioned in the Times article that McKnight insists he's never driven.

Don't know the guy from Adam but if true I'm sure someone will find his story interesting.

 

[Russ Smith]

Not that they know anything but both Beano Cook and Bill Plaschke(LA Times) are saying USC football is in real trouble now. Plaschke says McKnight lied to the media and said the car wasn't registered with USC as required by all athletes, in fact it was registered before the season started. That means USC knew he was driving the car on campus. That raises the question is it against NCAA rules for a player to drive his girlfriend's car(and the mother of his son)? Apparently it probably is and that's why McKnight lied about registering it he wanted to make it appear USC didn't know.

The owner of the vehicle says he gave it to her an employee because she's a friend of his family and needed it because of her son. He's among other things a "marketer" has had several businesses registered and as I said registered the domain name 4joemcknight.com so it looks very fishy that he just happens to give the vehicle to the woman but it's not registered in her name. Makes you wonder if he's taking some sort of business tax write off on it?

Cook said he's convinced USC will finally be in trouble over all this from what he hears.

Supposedly USC is goign to suspend McKnight for the bowl game and he'll turn pro.

 

[overseascardfan]

Not that they know anything but both Beano Cook and Bill Plaschke(LA Times) are saying USC football is in real trouble now. Plaschke says McKnight lied to the media and said the car wasn't registered with USC as required by all athletes, in fact it was registered before the season started. That means USC knew he was driving the car on campus. That raises the question is it against NCAA rules for a player to drive his girlfriend's car(and the mother of his son)? Apparently it probably is and that's why McKnight lied about registering it he wanted to make it appear USC didn't know.

The owner of the vehicle says he gave it to her an employee because she's a friend of his family and needed it because of her son. He's among other things a "marketer" has had several businesses registered and as I said registered the domain name 4joemcknight.com so it looks very fishy that he just happens to give the vehicle to the woman but it's not registered in her name. Makes you wonder if he's taking some sort of business tax write off on it?

Cook said he's convinced USC will finally be in trouble over all this from what he hears.

Supposedly USC is goign to suspend McKnight for the bowl game and he'll turn pro.

They better be or ASU needs to be let off the hook.

 

[Russ Smith]

They better be or ASU needs to be let off the hook.

I think most of the country feels that way. Before this happened I figured USC basketball would get hit over Mayo etc and football would get a slap on the wrist because there's no evidence they knew about Bush.

What McKnight allegedly did is peanuts compared to Bush or Mayo, but the problem is that if Plaschke is correct, USC KNEW he was driving the vehicle because he registered it with them. They can't then claim hey we didn't know, can't watch them all the time.

There's even a story about McKnight having the SUV illegally parked in the practice area lot, his girlfriend in the passenger seat, emergency flashers on. McKnight walks out jokes with teammates and COACHES, and then gets in and drives off. They know the kid is from a poor background, they know the kid has registered the vehicle if they made no effort to figure out who owned the car and how they were related to McKnight it's the definition of lack of institutional control. By itself it's minor but given everything else IMHO it should be the last straw that means football is going to get hit too.

 

[Southpaw]

USC is invincible,but maybe it is time for Carroll and Garrett to move on. This has got to help UCLA's recruiting.

 

[boisesuns]

USC is invincible,but maybe it is time for Carroll and Garrett to move on. This has got to help UCLA's recruiting.

You're right. I mean, how can ucla compete with cars and houses? I wonder if they took some away after how badly their team played this year.

 

[Russ Smith]

USC is invincible,but maybe it is time for Carroll and Garrett to move on. This has got to help UCLA's recruiting.

I don't follow the football team at UCLA nearly as close as basketball but while I know they had a good class, I think they've lost a couple of verbals recently that they were really high on.

I'm still torn there I would love for the football team to improve but I just wasn't in favor of them hiring Neuheisel. I'd have much preferred they hired Chow as the HC.

if Harbaugh stays at Stanford and Tedford at Cal I think essentially the whole Pac 10 could benefit if USC gets nailed. they all lose kids to USC that might now go to another Pac 10 team if SC is hit very hard.

 

[Russ Smith]

3 SC players, 2 of them starters are academically ineligible for the Bowl game. One is TE Anthony McCoy who I'd love to be a Cardinal next year.

And they've announced that McKnight has NOT travelled with the team. Carroll offered some lame excuse that he has "some paperwork" to take care of and it can be easier done if he stays in LA. Obviously they're deciding whether or not to suspend him for the game but it looks like they will.

 

[boisesuns]

I don't follow the football team at UCLA nearly as close as basketball but while I know they had a good class, I think they've lost a couple of verbals recently that they were really high on.

I'm still torn there I would love for the football team to improve but I just wasn't in favor of them hiring Neuheisel. I'd have much preferred they hired Chow as the HC.

if Harbaugh stays at Stanford and Tedford at Cal I think essentially the whole Pac 10 could benefit if USC gets nailed. they all lose kids to USC that might now go to another Pac 10 team if SC is hit very hard.

I think from a talent standpoint the PAC 10 has been better this year. We know USC gets the best of paper talent, but you have to wonder how much other schools are now catching up with good talent and coaching. I know it's been just this one down year with USC, but they looked pretty beatable all season and were supposed to still be pretty good on paper.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Just USC being U$C.

ftfy

 

[Russ Smith]

I think from a talent standpoint the PAC 10 has been better this year. We know USC gets the best of paper talent, but you have to wonder how much other schools are now catching up with good talent and coaching. I know it's been just this one down year with USC, but they looked pretty beatable all season and were supposed to still be pretty good on paper.

Alot of that was a combination of some injuries and just having a true freshman starting at QB. Barkley played really well at times but in some of their losses he wasn't all that good.

It'll be interesting to see how good they are next year. Barkley should be better but they lose a bunch of key seniors and it appears like a bunch of juniors like McKnight, Damian Williams are considering leaving or have already decided to. They've always reloaded with such great recruiting but NCAA penalties might hurt them in that area.

 

[overseascardfan]

Alot of that was a combination of some injuries and just having a true freshman starting at QB. Barkley played really well at times but in some of their losses he wasn't all that good.

It'll be interesting to see how good they are next year. Barkley should be better but they lose a bunch of key seniors and it appears like a bunch of juniors like McKnight, Damian Williams are considering leaving or have already decided to. They've always reloaded with such great recruiting but NCAA penalties might hurt them in that area.

I don't know, they would just be able to sign only a handful of 4 & 5 star recruits which will still be more than most teams can hope for. Plus it would thin out their depth chart, which could mean immediate playing time which would be appealing. Now if the NCAA banned them from post season play that would hit them where it hurts.

 

[Russ Smith]

I don't know, they would just be able to sign only a handful of 4 & 5 star recruits which will still be more than most teams can hope for. Plus it would thin out their depth chart, which could mean immediate playing time which would be appealing. Now if the NCAA banned them from post season play that would hit them where it hurts.

It's so hard to know. Look at USC basketball, O'Neill hated at Arizona comes in, threat of probation, and he's actually got a pretty good 2010 class signed and 2011 he's still got Gelaun Wheelwright verballed. I'm sure if they get nailed some of those kids will change their minds but it does seem kids are willing to commit to schools with sanctions hanging over them.

As you say, if no postseason ban is in place those kids might not care about reduced scholarships etc.