A college football coach in North Carolina has accused the Virginia Tech Hokies of tampering. Yes, you read that correctly.
It all began when Brian Murphy of WRAL posted the following message on X on Friday:
NC Central’s Trei Oliver says Virginia Tech coach was on his sideline during Howard game recruiting a running back. Says RB went to Virginia for $400K. Now a starter. And hopes Virginia kicks VT’s butt.
— Brian Murphy (@murphsturph) July 25, 2025
Here’s more from Murphy’s story.
North Carolina Central football coach Trei Oliver on Friday accused
ADVirgnia Tech of tampering with one of his players on the sidelines before the Eagles’ home game with Howard last season.
Oliver alleged that before the Eagles’ Nov. 15 game in Durham, he spotted a Virginia Tech staff member on the team’s sideline. When he asked why, others told him the staff member was there to see George “Bulldog” Smith, an assistant athletics director at NC Central, Oliver said.
And then there is this: “Virginia Tech was actually on my sideline recruiting our running back,” Oliver said.
OK, what do we make of this? First, let’s discuss the player. J’Mari Taylor is the running back in question. He is from Charlotte and rushed for over 1,100 yards last season.
He did not sign with the Hokies, but, instead signed with the Virginia Cavaliers. Why? Oliver let it be known that UVa paid Taylor a cool $400K for one season. Taylor reportedly wasn’t even the top target on Virginia Tech’s board. The Hokies ended up signing transfers Braydon Bennett, Terion Stewart and Marcellous Hawkins. That’s a good group.
This isn’t to knock Taylor or say this didn’t happen. But what does Oliver gain from this? Does he hate Virginia Tech for some reason? And why? Does he realize he is ruining potential future opportunities for his players by saying this?
Here we are in 2025, and someone is talking about tampering. And Virginia Tech, of all schools, is being accused. It’s almost comical when you think of it. Here’s the hard truth: EVERYONE is tampering. How do you think Auburn landed Xavier Chaplin? How do you think LSU landed Mansoor Delane and Braelin Moore?
Teams have been tampering for years, back when it was illegal. It’s only somewhat illegal now.
What do you think Virginia Tech’s reaction was when they heard the Cavaliers gave Taylor $400K? Only to lose to the Hokies again in November.
This was a wild story.
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