UCLA Sidelines Edwards, Reinstatement Possible

UCLA declared defensive star Donnie Edwards ineligible Monday for his alleged involvement with a sports agent, though the school plans to petition the NCAA to reinstate him. School officials said they took the action after being informed that the Pacific 10 Conference had concluded its investigation and turned it over to the NCAA.

Edwards, a senior linebacker, has been investigated by the Pac-10 and UCLA for allegedly accepting $150 in food money from Oxnard sports agent Robert Troy Caron. But the school’s concern about the situation extends beyond that.

A handwritten memo from Caron’s agency, which was obtained by The Times, requested that an expenditure of $150 to Edwards for food and another of $200 to USC running back Shawn Walters for a kitchen table be posted to the players’ ledgers.

According to a ledger obtained by The Times, Walters has allegedly accepted $15,900 from Caron since last year for airline tickets, pocket money and other expenses. Walters and two teammates were suspended for their connection to Caron. USC has not asked the NCAA to restore Walters’ eligibility, which might be in peril because of the amount of money involved.

Both Walters and Caron have denied any wrongdoing. Edwards told The Times that he knew Caron--who is also a personal injury and criminal attorney--but has refused to elaborate. He was interviewed by Pac-10 co-commissioner David Price on Oct. 4.

Edwards has not played since suffering a compression fracture of the vertebrae in the first quarter of a Sept. 16 game against Oregon. He has, however, made rapid improvement in recent days and, according to Coach Terry Donahue, could be healthy enough to play Saturday against Arizona.

That decision, of course, is now on hold until the NCAA rules on the allegations against Edwards. If Edwards received money or benefits from Caron, he will have to make restitution before his eligibility can be restored--but not necessarily to Caron. The money can go to a charity.

It was only after completing another encouraging day of rehabilitation and practice that Ed wards learned from a reporter that he had lost, at least temporarily, his eligibility.

He declined comment on the latest development, but appeared crushed.

“We are anxious to get his eligibility restored,” Donahue said, “and to get him back on the team as soon as possible.

“I’m optimistic that all will go well and that his eligibility will be restored this season, hopefully this week, or as long as the process takes.”

Donahue isn’t concerned about Monday’s movement of the investigation from the Pac 10 to the NCAA.

“I view it as a positive,” he said. “It’s moving along, not staying in limbo. We’re into the next stage.”

How long this stage will last is uncertain.

“They [the NCAA] are an organization with a lot of different matters to consider,” Donahue said, “especially these days. They will move as quickly as feasible, though not as quickly as we would like them to move. I don’t have a lot of experience in this. I know it’s a pain in the neck and we have to go through it.”

Having moved to middle linebacker just one game before his injury, Edwards was the key figure in the UCLA defense. The team had allowed only 17 points in its first two games with Edwards on the field. In the first two games after Edwards was sidelined, the Bruins surrendered 62 points, then gave up 21 more to Fresno State in their last game.

“We could sure use him big time,” Donahue said.

Under NCAA rules, a college athlete can lose eligibility if found to have accepted cash or other favors from a sports agent. In most cases involving agents, the school is not affected by the violations unless the NCAA enforcement staff rules that the institution knew, or should have known, about the incident.