MSU picks up late commitment for 2005 season.

[Greenhead22]

Jamar Chaney, OLB from Florida. He was cleared by the NCAA to play at UGA, whom he signed with in February. UGA just recently rejected his application for admission in the fall so he's headed to MSU to fill a spot left by several that won't qualify. Look for a DB out of Ga to commit before the weekend is over.

[hillhunter]

this could be scary for us.....the reason they rejected him is because he made like 650 on the SATs then went back to take them again a couple of months later and made above 1500.....thats when the red flags went up at georgia, but us and a couple of acc schools were on him like white on rice....hope it works out for us though cause we need the talent

[bigwater]

chit man.. that bo just applied hissself...

he's gonna be studin nuclear engineniegging medice while at msu!!!!


we all succckkkkkk!!!!!!!!

[Greenhead22]

I don't know the exacts on the SAT numbers, but I honestly doubt that Croom would bring someone in this late who is questionable as to how he was able to qualify.

[bigwater]

he'd better bring in sumbody or we gonna suck
..

somebody like.. we'll for startes

how about brett farve and that greenbay receiver thats sittin out javon walker..

[hillhunter]

this info came from a more than reliable source.....i would think that their position is that since they weren't recruiting him at the time then they would not have any reason to help him cheat....if they were to investigate it the would probably just deem him ineligible with no blame on state....something has to be fishy for GA to just drop him like that,

[Greenhead22]

I'm thinking UGA maxed out their scholly limit, and he was the odd man out due to lower ncaa clearing grades.

[hillhunter]

didn't think about that either

[duck_nutt]

prolly wanted by the PO PO's...

that's police in ebonics

[Po Monkey Lounger]

GH22, ya got any eligibility left? Croom needs some scout team players.

Schit man, with just 56 approx. scholarship players, Croom would probably be willing to give just about anybody that wants to come out a shot to earn a spot on the team.

And you could be right about the GA scholly situation. UGA may have oversigned, although I thought that I had read somewhere that a large number of UGA signees did not make their grades. An article in the CL today re Croom stated that he expected to have a couple of late signees for the 2005 class due to some schools oversigning and not having any spots. Who knows what the truth is anymore.

UGA academic rejects? or UGA's outside looking in signees due to oversigning? who knows? or cares? If he has the minimum qualifications, has a good HS pedigree, and a pulse, MSU would be crazy not to give him a chance.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

Here is UGA's take on it:

Honor Code violation behind recruit's denial
Football



By Marc Weiszer
marc.weiszer@onlineathens.com


Georgia football recruit Jamar Chaney was denied admission to the university by a faculty conduct committee for a failure "to abide by the Honor Code provision in the application process," and the university will not "consider future applications for admission," according to a June 6 letter written to him by the school's admissions director.

The letter is among documents received from the university regarding Chaney by the Athens Banner-Herald under Georgia Open Records laws.

Chaney's SAT score was cancelled by the Educational Testing Service after "their investigation of cheating by the student" on a December test, according to information in an e-mail from admissions director Nancy McDuff intended for members of Georgia's Admissions Conduct Committee.

That investigation was set in motion after Georgia assistant athletic director for academics/integrity Glada Horvat contacted associate director of admissions Bob Spatig, who asked the ETS on Feb. 22 to validate the score. Spating wrote Georgia wanted the score validated in "accordance with our standard policy concerning unusual test score histories."

Chaney's December score was in the mid-80th percentile nationally but previous ACT and PSAT scores were in the 20th percentile, according to McDuff's e-mail.

Regarding the December testing, ETS test security specialist Nancy A. Wszolek wrote to Chaney on March 4 that there was "substantial agreement between your answers on one or more scored sections of the test and those of another test taker who appears to have been seated near you."

Chaney - a linebacker who lives in Fort Pierce, Fla., and played for West Centennial High School - signed his application for admission underneath Georgia's honor code, which states "to the best of my knowledge all of the information I have supplied in this application is complete and accurate and that any omission or misrepresentation will invalidate any further consideration or subsequent admission."

Chaney and a person identified as "Test taker B," each had 630 on the math portion of the SAT, according to a score review summary. Chaney had a 630 on the verbal and "Test taker B," had a 660. Of 138 questions in the two sections, Chaney and "Test taker B" each had 19 incorrect answers - including 17 of which matched - according to an ETS response analysis.

After the investigation, Chaney was offered four options by the ETS - a free retest to confirm his scores; cancel the scores; let the school decide whether to use the scores after ETS cancels them; or ask an arbitrator to review the case.

The ETS's Board of Review, a three-member panel, found "substantial evidence," that scores on the SAT are invalid, according to a letter sent to Chaney on April 6. The board was provided information that included a letter from Chaney and logs of times spent for prepatory studies.

Chaney then opted to go to arbitration, according to a memo, and admissions was notified by ETS on May 6 that the scores were cancelled.

The memo said that Faculty Athletic Representative Jere Morehead asked admissions to hold action until athletics decided to appeal.

Football coach Mark Richt asked McDuff on June 3 if Chaney could validate the scores by testing on June 4 but was told that was not an option because if the scores were cancelled due to cheating, his application file was no longer valid, according to documentation. Georgia President Michael Adams, however, can override a faculty admissions committee's decision, according to the university Web site.

Richt declined through a spokesman to comment on Friday.

In December, the faculty athletic review committee met with Richt and recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner to discuss the recruitment of 23 athletes. At the meeting, faculty athletic review committee members voiced a concern about "very low ACT scores and lack of senior year grades," according to files about Chaney.

Notes from the meeting, in which recruits names were redacted, reported there was "general frustration that the comments from the coaches indicated that they were planning to recruit prospects regardless of the recommendation of the committee."

This is the second year in a row that the conduct committee has denied admission to a football signee. Cornerback Michael Grant was turned away after an examination of his background, which included an expulsion from South Gwinnett High School while in 10th grade. He played last season for Arkansas.

Chaney visited the University of Florida after learning of Georgia's decision and hoped to gain admission at the school, his mother said earlier this month. A Florida admissions counselor phoned Georgia because the school is talking with Chaney, a memo said, "but they feel that their policy is much like ours on the testing. They understand there is a challenge on the test score and wanted some more insight."

[Greenhead22]

Clarion Liar's take:

July 23, 2005

Chaney commits to MSU

# Highly touted linebacker first signed with Georgia, where admissions office questioned validity of SAT score

By Ian R. Rapoport
irapopor@clarionledger.com


Chaney file

# Position: LB

# Size: 6-2, 215

# Skinny: Denied ad-mission at UGA because of suspicion about test scores.

Mississippi State football coach Sylvester Croom said Thursday he wasn't done recruiting for the 2005 season. One day later, a highly touted — albeit somewhat controversial — linebacker proved him right.

Jamar Chaney, a 6-foot-2, 215-pounder who signed scholarship papers with Georgia in February, said Friday that he plans to attend MSU and play football this fall. His decision ends a two-month period of indecision for Chaney, whose application was denied after the University of Georgia admissions office questioned the validity of his Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score.

Chaney denied any wrongdoing.

"I'm a legit student," he said.

"I feel good that it's all over," added Chaney, who attended West Centennial (Fla.) High School. "It was a long summer. I look forward to playing football at Mississippi State."

Chaney would be the 27th signee for State, though the school can only enroll 23 new scholarship football players this fall. At least four signees have not met NCAA freshman academic eligibility requirements and will not enroll this fall at MSU, so there is room for Chaney. Recently, West Jones linebacker Archie Sims said he did not qualify and will attend junior college, leaving the door open for another linebacker.

Through MSU spokesman Mike Nemeth, Croom declined comment, citing NCAA rules prohibiting coaches from discussing prospects.

Calls to the Georgia compliance office were not returned.

According to the recruiting Web site Scout.com, Chaney is the 43rd-ranked player in the Southeast and the seventh-ranked linebacker. In the state of Florida, he is the fourth-ranked linebacker, according to the site. Despite playing in just six games as a senior, he had 68 tackles and six sacks.

On June 2, coach Mark Richt called to tell him that SAT test administrators had flagged his test score of 1260 (out of 1600).

"They said it's impossible for a student with a 2.8 GPA to make a 1260 on the SAT," his mother Alice Chaney told the Macon (Ga.) Telegraph in early June. "They're trying to say he cheated on the test."

According to documents obtained by the Athens (Ga.) Banner Herald, Chaney's score of 1260 was in the 80th percentile nationally among students who took the same test on the same day, but ACT and PSAT scores for Chaney were in the 20th percentile among student taking those tests on the same day. The 1260 SAT has since been cancelled by the Educational Testing Service.

His mother told the Macon Telegraph that because her son earned a 17 on the ACT — the other achievement test used to determine eligibility — he still meets the NCAA's standards for freshmen eligibility.

Chaney, the second player in two years to whom Georgia denied admission, expressed a desire to move beyond his academic issues.

"That's all in the past right now," he said. "I'm going to prove myself academically and on the field at Mississippi State."

After Chaney was denied entrance by Georgia, he made recruiting visits to Maryland, North Carolina State, Rutgers and MSU.

"I felt comfortable at Mississippi State," Chaney said. "I like the coaches, and the stability there, because they just got hired last year. And I really liked the guys when I visited."

[rebelduckaholic]

Well if the Clearinghouse let's him go then it might be a good pick up.