Arizona assistant Mark Phelps placed on administrative leave, per report

Arizona Wildcats assistant coach Mark Phelps was placed on administrative leave on Feb. 5 based upon an “unresolved NCAA matter,” according to a statement from Alabama attorney Donald Maurice Jackson (via Jeff Goodman of WatchStadium).

The rest of the statement reads as follows:

Coach Phelps has performed his duties in strict compliance with NCAA and University policies. In correspondence dated January 22, 2019, Counsel for Coach Phelps was advised of the following by the NCAA Director of Enforcement: ‘At this point, the enforcement staff has made no determinations regarding potential violations involving Coach Phelps as we are still in the process of collecting information and conducting interviews.’ Although Coach Phelps is disappointed with the decision to place him on leave, he will continue to fully cooperate with both University investigators and NCAA staff. He is confident that he will be fully exonerated and allowed to resume his coaching career.

A source told Goodman that they believe this is the University of Arizona “building its case in potentially making a move with head coach Sean Miller as the NCAA begins its investigation” into Arizona’s involvement in the college basketball corruption scandal.

Goodman then added that Phelps is being placed on leave “due to an online course involving a recruit who never wound up attending Arizona.”

Source also told @WatchStadium that Phelps being placed on leave is due an online course involving a recruit who never wound up attending Arizona. https://t.co/NtcST4p8Iu

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) February 7, 2019

This is not the first time Phelps has been reprimanded. The 53-year-old was suspended for five days without pay last season, which was reportedly the result of buying a plane ticket for former Arizona forward Keanu Pinder.

Phelps has been on Arizona’s staff since 2015.

This story is developing.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts http://bit.ly/2SbPiua
via IFTTT