Report directly links Gottfried to impermissible payments

More fall out from the college basketball pay-for play scandal today, as a new report from ESPN has been released in which Cal State Northridge head coach Mark Gottfried has been directly linked to payments to players.

According to the report, Gottfried, the former head coach at NC State, gave assistant coach Orlando Early envelopes containing cash on at least two occasions. These envelopes were then delivered by Early to a trainer for Dennis Smith, Jr, who then gave them to Dennis Smith, Sr.

Also, according to the report, Gottfried “complained to Early about having to provide money out of his own pocket to the Smith family and stated, in substance, that he intended to ask Adidas for help.” The payments were said to be in the ball park of $100,000

Gottfried was hired as the head coach at CSUN last spring. He served as the head coach at NC State from 2011-17 where he went 123-86. He has also been the head coach at Alabama (1998-2009), and Murray State (1995-98). His CSUN squad is currently 13-18 (7-8 Big West).

The pay-for-play scandal has exploded this week, following the suspension of LSU head coach Will Wade and the report that assistants from Creighton and TCU took $6,000 bribes.

Wade was allegedly caught on a wiretap discussing a “strong-ass offer” that he made to then recruit (and current LSU freshman) Javonte Smart. Wade was suspended by LSU less than a day after the report surfaced.

Creighton assistant Preston Murphy and TCU assistant Corey Barker reportedly took $6,000 payments from middleman Christian Dawkins in a Vegas hotel room back in 2017. Late last night, word came that Creighton had placed Murphy on leave.

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