February 4, 2008

From Rivals.com staff reports
It was a typical occurrence in today's recruiting world: A big lineman from a small high school holds a news conference to announce where he will play college football.

Two local TV stations showed up to film the event, and a majority of the students at the school turned out to watch.

But there was one problem when Kevin Hart, a 6-foot-4, 304-pounder from Fernley (Nev.) High, chose California on Friday: Cal never officially offered a scholarship. In fact, it appears no one from the school ever talked with Hart.

The situation now is such that Fernley High coach Mark Hodges told BearTerritory.net ? a Web site that covers Cal sports ? that the matter is "being investigated by law enforcement."

At Friday's announcement, Hart told those assembled that he and Cal coach Jeff Tedford had "talked a lot, and the fact that the head coach did most of the recruiting of me kind of gave me the real personal experience."

In a Jan. 23 story in the Reno (Nev.) Gazette-Journal, Hart ? who while possessing good size, isn't considered a top prospect; he lacks quickness and upper-body strength ? said he was considering Oregon, Washington and Illinois and had recently spoken by phone with new Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman.

But BearTerritory.net reported that the Cal staff has had no contact with Hart or Hodges and that Hart hasn't been on a recruiting trip to any school.

The Nevada Interscholastic Athletics Association is looking into the matter as well, and executive director Eddie Bonine told the Gazette-Journal, "It could be that someone was impersonating those schools."

Hodges told bearterritory.net that he had been in discussions about the Hart matter with other school officials and with school-district representatives.

For more coverage of the Cal Golden Bears, check out BearTerritory.net.