The net cast by Yahoo! Sports’ mind-blowingly intense investigation into former booster and current incarcerated felon and former Hurricane booster Nevin Shapiro grows wider and wider: two coaches at the University of Alabama, one at Louisville and one at Florida are accused of having improper contact with Shapiro.
Miami Football Investigation: Four Coaches At Other Schools Named By Shapiro
Alabama's offensive line coach, Jeff Stoutland, and its director of football operations, Joe Pannunzio, were named by Yahoo!'s pitbull investigative reporter Charles Robinson here and here, respectively. Neither of them were secured hookers or blow, like some players, but both were involved in the improper recruitment of offensive line prospect Matt Patchan.
Patchan, who is now a backup offensive lineman at Florida, reportedly visited Shapiro’s home with his mother, father and brother with Stoutland and Pannunzio in attendance. Shapiro named Stoutland, but they had minimal contact, he said. Robinson’s investigation turned up Pannunzio’s name after Shapiro wouldn’t reveal it, and phone records show the two exchanging at the very least 422 calls and texts from 2006-‘10.
Clint Hurtt was the defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator for Miami from ‘07-‘10, landing some of the best classes in the country despite the team consistently underachieving. He now holds the same position at Louisville, but he might not be so secure right now. He was named in the investigation, naturally, but had far more contact with Shapiro than the afore-mentioned ‘Bama coaches.
Robinson quotes Shapiro as calling Hurtt “a really good friend of mine.” If I were to wager a guess, that’s probably no longer the case. Hurtt allegedly brought several recruits to Shapiro’s mansion and enjoyed meals at Café Grazie in Miami for “large groups of recruits” on Shapiro’s dime.
Hurtt was named ESPN’s National Recruiter of the Year for his first season in Louisville in 2010.
The fourth coach named in Robinson's story is Aubrey Hill, now the wide receivers coach at the University of Florida. Hill was present with Hurtt in the recruiting trip with Andre Dubose, Ray-Ray Armstrong and Dyron Dye at Shapiro's mansion. Past that trip, Shapiro doesn't allege any further impropriety with Hill.
I doubt we see any penalties levied against Alabama, Louisville or Florida, but if any of these coaches have a penalty coming, it’s Hurtt. Best friends forever, right Nevin?
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