USC likely committed NCAA violation in recruitment of Silas Redd

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NORWALK — The University of Southern California football team may have committed an NCAA violation when Trojans reserve quarterback Max Wittek spoke on the phone with Penn State junior running back Silas Redd last week and then talked to the press about it, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

Making the possible violation sting even more is the fact that Wittek and Redd are old friends from when Wittek lived in Norwalk and played youth football with Redd.

Wittek, who was born in California, lived in Norwalk from the time he was six months old until he was in ninth grade. Wittek's mother is Karen Kurensky, NHS Class of 1983. His grandmother Ingrid Kurensky still lives in Norwalk as do other members of his family.

Last week, Wittek was quoted in an LA Times story — which was taken from a USCFootball.com report — saying he had spoken to Redd about his possible transfer to the school after the NCAA handed Penn State major sanctions in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal and alleged cover-up.

“I told him I was sorry to hear about everything that came down and that it was obviously a difficult situation,” said Wittek. “But I tried to sell USC to him a little bit. I’d love to have him here. He said thanks for reaching out, that he was definitely interested and was just trying to take the right steps to decide what he was going to do.”

According to a story on the LA Times website, that likely constitutes an NCAA violation.

“NCAA rules forbid coaches and players from speaking publicly about recruits,” the story stated. “The next day, USC's sports information staff sent an email to reporters who cover the team regularly advising them of the rule and requesting that players not be asked about recruits or quoted.”

USC spokeseman Tim Tessalone spoke with Wittek after learning about the quote.

"We are disappointed that any media outlet would ask a coach, student-athlete or staff member to comment about a prospect, and then use such a quote, when it is well known that NCAA rules preclude us from making such a comment," Tessalone said.