Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner addressed the NCAA’s suspensions of team members Josh Okogie and Tadric Jackson on Wednesday, but attempted to keep his message forward-looking.
Tech announced Tuesday that the NCAA had suspended Jackson for three games and Okogie for six for accepting impermissible benefits in the form of airfare, meals and apparel. The NCAA guidelines for suspension length for the value of their benefits were six games for Jackson and nine for Okogie. Pastner said he respected the decision.
“It was a mistake, and the good news is, we can now know when they’re coming back so we can get ready to get our team moving forward and improving and hopefully we have the year we want to have,” Pastner said.
Pastner declined to go into specifics about the violations. He apparently wanted to give the ruling a little space, saying he might address the matter at a later date.
“I don’t want to go into full detail with everything,” he said. “We’re moving forward and onward and upward in a sense. Obviously, for me personally, my focus is on the team and for us to get better.”
Pastner did say that, by the time that Okogie’s suspension ends, he is expected to be fully recovered from dislocating the index finger of his left (non-shooting) hand in the team’s scrimmage against Georgia State on Oct. 28. The first game he will be eligible to play in will be against Tennessee on Dec. 3 at McCamish Pavilion.
At practice Tuesday, Okogie’s finger was in a splint. It had previously been in a cast.
On his weekly interview with 680 the Fan on Wednesday afternoon, athletic director Todd Stansbury said that the athletic department was quick to report the violations when they were discovered and sought to be transparent iwth the NCAA through the process, actions that may have helped limit the penalties.
By being engaged with NCAA officials, Stansbury said, “they’re also involved in the actual process itself so that when you get to a final resolution, they know that you’ve worked with them in every way to mitigate the situation and do the right thing.”
Tech plays Bethune-Cookman on Sunday at McCamish.
About the Author
