NCAA contacts WKU to speak with Morton regarding violations at Miami (Fla.)

Cole Claybourn

In the wake of a Yahoo! Sports report about potential impermissible benefits at Miami (Fla.) in which men’s assistant basketball coach Jake Morton was implicated, the NCAA has contacted the president’s office wishing to speak with Morton.

Athletics Director Ross Bjork on Wednesday issued a statement to the Herald confirming that.

The full statement is as follows:

“Per protocol, the NCAA contacted the President’s office regarding their investigation of the University of Miami and their desire to speak with Jake Morton, who was a member of the Miami basketball staff during the timeframe of the alleged allegations. Jake will cooperate fully.”

WKU Athletic Media Relations said the statement from Bjork is the furthest they can comment at this time.

The period during which the alleged violations occurred was from 2002-2010. Bjork was not implicated in the report, although he spent time as the Associate Athletic Director at Miami from 2003-2005.

The Bowling Green Daily News reported that the NCAA didn’t ask to speak with Bjork regarding the violations.

NCAA President Mark Emmert also responded to the report on Tuesday in a statement.

If the assertions are true, the alleged conduct at the University of Miami is an illustration of the need for serious and fundamental change in many critical aspects of college sports. This pertains especially to the involvement of boosters and agents with student-athletes. While many are hearing about this case for the first time, the NCAA has been investigating the matter for five months. The serious threats to the integrity of college sports are one of the key reasons why I called together more than 50 presidents and chancellors last week to drive substantive changes to Division I intercollegiate athletics.