Saban: Jones, Ingram’s status up to the NCAA

September 2, 2009 12:46 PM

Posted by ESPN.com’s Chris Low

The Julio Jones and Mark Ingram watch continues, and you could almost hear the frustration in Alabama coach Nick Saban’s voice when he was asked about it Wednesday on the SEC teleconference.

Saban said it wouldn’t be his decision as to whether Jones and Ingram would be allowed to play Saturday night against Virginia Tech.

“I think that’s up to the NCAA. I don’t think it’s my decision to do anything,” said Saban, adding that he remains hopeful there will be some resolution prior to the game.

“We are hoping for a response, and we want to do what we need to do to do things the right way from a program standpoint and for the players’ best interest. I think the institution has handled the situation with tremendous professional integrity. We’re hopeful that we’ll have some kind of resolution to this situation in the short term.”

If there is no word from the NCAA prior to the game, Saban wouldn’t get into how the Crimson Tide might adjust without two of its best offensive players.

“I’m not really into speculating on what might be,” Saban said. “I’ve got enough problems with what is. Let’s just focus on what is.”

At issue is a Gulf Coast fishing trip Jones and Ingram took last spring with a 56-year-old man from Athens, Ala., whom Alabama compliance officials have determined was not a Crimson Tide booster. Alabama spent the summer investigating the matter and has met with NCAA enforcement representatives.

So why the delay when Alabama hasn’t self-reported anything at this point?

That’s the frustrating and unnerving part for the Crimson Tide, who’ve obviously been around the block a few times with the NCAA over the past two decades.

Alabama Crimson Tide, Nick Saban, Mark Ingram, Julio Jones

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Apparently former Gator and now Minnesota Viking wide receiver Percy Harvin was invited by some Florida coaches to come speak to a few recruits about his time at the university. The idea was to give them an NFL player’s perspective on how the school helped him not only get to the NFL, but also how they made him a better player in general.Well, things started great as he talked about how good the staff was to the players, how they won a couple championships, and how they helped him become a NFL first rounder…then he started keeping it real.

What we’re hearing:

- Harvin discussed his continuous pot use, and how he was able to smoke it for the majority of his time at UF.

- Harvin also confirmed the long time rumor that he made a mistake and choked his wide receivers coach, and how the school gave him a second chance by covering it up so the media didn’t report it.

- He also talked about the benefits that being a Gator brought to the party scene in Gainesville.

Needless to say, the coaches weren’t very happy.  Maybe they should just stick to Tim Tebow at these events?

A man had two of the best seats at the Auburn Football game,  As he sits down, another man comes along and asks if anyone is sitting in the seat next to him.“No”, he says, “the seat is empty.”"This is incredible!” said the man, “who in their right mind would have a seat like this for an Auburn game, and not use it?”He says, “Well, actually, the seat belongs to me. My wife was supposed to come with me, but she passed away.This is the first AU game we haven’t been together since we’ve been married..”“Oh … I’m sorry to hear that.. That’s terrible. I guess you couldn’t find someone else, a friend or relative or even a neighbor to take the seat?”The man shakes his head… “No. They’re all at the funeral.”WAR EAGLE.