Thursday, the Gamecocks' Notice of Allegations from the NCAA came out publicly for the first time and 48 hours later Frank Martin made his first public comments about it after South Carolina's win over Tennessee.
The allegations stem from former basketball assistant Lamont Evans accepting almost $5,900 in brides from basketball agent Christian Dawkins to arrange meetings with P.J. Dozier to influence him to retain Dawkins’ agency, ASM Sports, once Dozier went pro.
Nowhere in the notice was Martin implicated or was a lack of institutional control mentioned.
Below are Martin's full comments on the NOA.
On if he's concerned about the NOA taking away wins
“None; absolutely zero. I’ve spoken on this before. None. Absolutely zero. In moments like this, I would think people would trust in leadership. The guy that leads our program is as ethical a man as I’ve ever been around in Ray Tanner. The people I answer to, it’s all about ethics here and doing things the right way. I would not be the basketball coach here right now if I dipped the toe in the water. I don’t do it anyways. That’s other people. If they choose to cross lines, that’s their life. I don’t do it.
"This is an isolated matter about a one-time visit between a guy I brought into this business and the people that got in trouble. It does not involve any of our student athletes; it does not involve our staff. If you just read the title of the book you can rush to judgment. If you actually read, there’s no wording there that’s compatible with the wording used for the other schools. I’m at peace. I told you guys two years ago I put my head on the pillow and sleep like a baby because I know I don’t cheat and I don’t condone cheating.
"I work for a man that doesn’t cheat or condone cheating. Harris Pastides, who’s the guy who hired me and was my president until a year ago, he was the guy in charge of the national committee to set the rules. And now President (Bob) Caslen, I think we all know his background. The one time he addressed our staff as a whole, he said, ‘Don’t cheat. Because I’m not having a conversation with you if you do.’ I’m at peace. I’m at peace. It is what it is. We’ll have our moment so the people who represent the University of South Carolina can speak and I don’t want to say defend ourselves but there’s a little snag there with Lamont. We need to express it and explain it. We’re not going to do that publicly and I won’t be allowed to do it publicly but that’ll be done by the appropriate people at the right time.”
On if he's heard from the NCAA on a timeline of the investigation
“Administration handles that. They know I’m available to answer any questions to them, the NCAA. Whatever I’m asked to do, I’ll be there. Can you imagine if I ever told Ray Tanner I’m not talking to him? How long you think I’d be the coach? You think I’d be answering questions today if we felt we were condoning cheating in any way, shape or form? That players were involved in this? At the end of the day this campus is about the best interest of the student athlete. I was told that the day I walked onto this campus. That’s what I’m about. I wouldn’t be the coach here if I was trying to duck and weave. When the time comes and I’m asked, which I’ve been asked already, if I’m asked to speak I’m more than happy to speak and express what I know and what we lived. I’ve got unbelievable confidence in the people that run our university. That’s why I coach basketball here.”
On having PJ Dozier in the crowd today and if he talked to him
“PJ’s available to speak to the leadership of our university on whatever is needed. Obviously, I’m just going to tell you: PJ’s got nothing to do with anything. I don’t care what’s been reported. This is a Lamont Evans situation. This is not a PJ Dozier situation. All that will be expressed and explained at the appropriate time by the appropriate people when it needs to be expressed; not by me behind a microphone. I got confidence everything’s good there.”
