San Diego State Tailback Jones Is Grounded Again by School

George Jones, who rose from tough beginnings in Greenville, S.C., to national prominence last season as a standout tailback for San Diego State, was suspended indefinitely by the school Friday for possibly violating NCAA rules.

Jones, who in 1995 broke former Aztec Marshall Faulk’s single-season school record by rushing for 1,842 yards, is featured on the cover of the school’s 1996 media guide and was considered a longshot Heisman Trophy candidate.

Jones and two other Aztec starters, defensive back Ricky Parker and receiver Will Blackwell, had received one-game suspensions for the school’s opener last Saturday against Idaho after it was learned they used rental cars provided for charity work for Phoenix Forte, a children’s foundation.

San Diego State Athletic Director Rick Bay was “out of the office” and unavailable for comment Friday, but the San Diego Union Tribune speculated that Jones’ career may be over.

The paper quoted Bay as saying late Thursday night, “Once you suspend somebody for a violation of NCAA rules, the only way you can reinstate that person is to appeal to the NCAA for restoration of eligibility. We would have to be able to make a case in order to do that, and right now that is not in place.”

The paper also alleges that the new NCAA infractions “likely stem” from the children’s foundation and its president, Rick Norton, a financial planner for about 25 NFL players.

The paper reported that a Department of Motor Vehicles records search indicated that Jones was the registered owner of a 1991 Mazda RX-7 financed by a company with the same business address as Norton Financial Ltd. and that the car was traded in by Norton last February for a 1994 Ford Mustang convertible.

Jones could not be reached for comment.

Monnie Broome, a Greenville businessman whose family befriended Jones after the player left his parents in the sixth grade for reasons he won’t discuss, said the allegations were “devastating.”

Broome, who is not Jones’ legal guardian, paid for Jones’ plane flight to California so the player could attend Bakersfield College, where Jones set numerous community college rushing records before transferring to San Diego State.

Broome also said he initially provided Jones with $2,500 to purchase a car, and chipped in for many other expenses, including the $280 Jones had to pay as reimbursement for use of the rental cars that led to his initial one-game suspension.

Broome said Jones had not returned his phone calls Friday. After the initial suspension, Broome said Jones denied to him any other wrongdoing regarding the foundation or possible NCAA violations.