Texas A&M; Informs NCAA of Allegation

Texas A&M; has informed the NCAA of a prominent alumnus’ allegation that a recently banned booster was part of a secret attempt to organize a slush fund for payments to football players.

Robert Smith, Texas A&M; vice president in charge of rules compliance, said his office also will investigate the allegation.

“This is not an issue for us unless there’s reason to believe that this activity’s going on now,” Smith told the Bryan College Station Eagle. “There is no reason to believe it’s going on now. Therefore, it’s not an issue with us.”

In a letter dated Dec. 26, Dallas businessman and civic leader Larry Ferguson--a member of the 12th Man Foundation--wrote school President William Mobley of the alleged activities of Warren Gilbert Jr. and two other 12th Man members, J.L. Huffines Jr. and Thomas A. O’Dwyer.

The school said nothing was done with Ferguson’s allegations until this week, when the Dallas Morning News began making inquiries on campus.

Texas A&M; announced Feb. 5 that Gilbert--a director of the A&M; Lettermen’s Assn.--was being disassociated from university athletics after it confirmed allegations about Gilbert-operated companies that improperly paid players for work they did not perform.

The Morning News reported Dec. 20 that current and former Gilbert employees told federal investigators that five members of the 1992 squad were being paid year-round for work not performed. The university has said none of the records Gilbert made available to it confirmed the year-round payments.