Is there a college football Spygate scandal brewing down south?
Jacksonville State football coach Rich Rodriguez seemingly accused Stephen F. Austin of spying on his team, just days before the two schools’ showdown to open the season on Saturday.
Rodriguez, who’s in his first year with the Gamecocks, told reporters on Tuesday that Jacksonville State is “aware” of the situation, and that someone from the Lumberjacks allegedly tried to film their practice this week.
“Pretty good sources true that they had a couple staff members at our spring game, which is kind of like — that’s not really supposed to happen,” Rodriguez said. “We’re making plans accordingly, so if they’re over there thinking they have our plays or what have you, signals or something like that, we’ve changed things since the spring.”
Rodriguez also alleged his daughter spotted someone filming the team’s practice, and that he “sent the biggest guy in [their] program” to chase him off.
“Then we caught somebody trying to film something the other day and first my daughter Raquel saw him. Then we caught him again, saw him, peering through there with his camera,” Rodriguez said.
“I sent the biggest guy in our program, Crew, one of our assistant strength coaches. He’s about like [6-foot-7], 350 [pounds], probably benches like 1,000 pounds. [I] sent him up the bleachers to run him out and that guy disappeared pretty quick.”
Rodriguez was then asked if he had seen a team send a spy to a spring game before.
“It’s probably happened, but we’re aware of it,” he said.
Rodriguez’s comments came after the news on Tuesday that his punter Jack Dawson was arrested for several alleged assaults on former teammates, including one sexual assault.
The Lumberjacks will play host to the Gamecocks on Saturday, with the season-opener airing on ESPN.