An apparent violation of the NCAA "bump rule" reportedly precipitated the resignation of Florida wide receivers coach Joker Phillips Wednesday, with a representative of the Miami Hurricanes acting as whistleblower.
According to yahoo.com, UM provided the NCAA with a photograph of Phillips sitting at a restaurant with a recruit during a non-contact period.
The bump rule deals with contact between coaches and recruits during non-contact periods on the recruiting calendar. In cases of incidental contact where a coach "bumps" into a recruit by coincidence (hence, the name of the rule), the coach is required to limit the contact to a simple, brief greeting. Typically, bump rule violations result in only a secondary NCAA violation. However, if the contact is scheduled or arranged in any way, the violation can be more serious.
Phillips abruptly resigned for "personal reasons," reportedly participating in a UF camp just hours earlier. Given that coaching turnover rarely occurs in the summer, speculation about the move immediately followed the news. Former Florida quarterback Chris Leak, who had a role with the UF support staff, was named Phillips' replacement.
With coaching staffs set for the coming season, Phillips could have a difficult time joining another staff in time to coach in 2014. Potential trouble with the NCAA would be another obstacle, and Phillips could sit out the season while waiting for his name to clear and for coaching jobs to begin coming open again in December.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread.*
