Listen to Fox News Articles: North Carolina Central Football Coach Trei Oliver Addresses Controversial Recruiting Incident
North Carolina Central’s football head coach, Trei Oliver, recently shed light on a surprising incident that took place during last season’s games. While overseeing his team from the sidelines, Oliver caught a Virginia Tech Hokies assistant coach in the act of trying to recruit one of his star players.
According to reports from WRAL News, Oliver claimed that the Hokies’ assistant was attempting to persuade a running back to consider entering the transfer portal right in front of him. “Virginia Tech was actually on my sideline recruiting our running back,” Oliver expressed, clearly astonished by the boldness of the situation. He noted, “I couldn’t believe it.”
While Oliver chose not to disclose the player’s name, it’s worth mentioning that the running back in question eventually transferred to the University of Virginia. J’Mari Taylor, a standout player who earned first-team All-MEAC honors during his time at NCCU, is now listed on UVA’s roster.
Oliver indicated that he was aware of the assistant coach’s intentions during the game. "I knew what it was," he stated, reflecting on the incident.
In response to Oliver’s allegations, Virginia Tech issued a statement asserting that they were unaware of any misconduct until it was brought to their attention. The statement emphasized the university’s commitment to upholding NCAA regulations and their readiness to investigate the matter thoroughly. "This is the first time the issue has been brought to our attention," the statement read. "Virginia Tech takes all NCAA rules seriously and is committed to conducting our program with integrity. We are reviewing the matter internally and will address any findings appropriately."
As the 2025 regular season comes to a close, Virginia Tech will face the University of Virginia on November 29. Oliver expressed his support for his former player, predicting a significant victory for UVA. "Thank God he went to UVA," Oliver stated confidently. "UVA is going to beat the smoke out of them other folks."
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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
