Tim Tebow made a high school football player’s day by speaking to him briefly on the phone during a lunch with Ohio State coach Urban Meyer.
Big mistake.
It was one of 42 self-reported secondary violations Ohio State reported to the NCAA, according to Cleveland.com. Others included inadvertent calls made to recruits. In other words, butt dials.
While on vacation, Meyer got a phone call from recruit Clifton Garrett. When Garrett was told that Tebow was nearby, he asked to speak to the former Heisman Trophy winner to wish him good luck. The conversation lasted eight seconds – enough time to count as a violation.
“Upon receiving the call, Coach Meyer informed Garrett that he was on vacation and having lunch with friends and family, including Tim Tebow. Garrett asked Coach Meyer if he could wish Tebow good luck on the upcoming season,” Ohio State’s report of the violation read. “Coach Meyer handed the phone to Tebow and Garrett conversed with Tebow for approximately eight seconds. Coach Meyer stated that no recruiting conversation occurred, there was no intent to have Tebow recruit on behalf of Ohio State and he, in fact, did not recruit on behalf of Ohio State.
Coach Meyer reported that Garrett was not instructed to call by anyone from the Ohio State football staff and that neither he nor Tebow had any other communication with any other prospects during the lunch. Coach Meyer further indicated that Tebow has never spoken with any other prospective Ohio State student-athletes. Coach Meyer understands that the communication between Garrett and Tebow was an error on his part. However, he was adamant that it was a reflexive, courteous action rather than an intentional attempt to involve Tim Tebow in the recruiting process.”
It seemed to make an impression on Garrett, who tweeted about the call.