NCAA: Antonio Pierce, Jayden Daniels’ mother helped violate recruiting rules at ASU

Former Arizona State assistant coach Antonio Pierce, with the help of former quarterback Jayden Daniels’ mother, violated recruiting rules during the COVID-19 dead period. An NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions Panel on Thursday handed down an eight-year show-cause punishment to Pierce for his violations at ASU.

The current Las Vegas Raiders head coach, Pierce, and his former defensive analyst Anthony Garnett “participated in a program wide effort to engage in impermissible recruiting activities” in 2020, the NCAA wrote in its decision.

The report also included that Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Daniels’ mother, Regina Jackson, helped Pierce break rules.

“Pierce arranged for or personally provided free meals, apparel, airfare and/or lodging for 27 prospects, often in collaboration with the booster, who was the parent of a then-football student-athlete in the program,” according to the NCAA report.

Former assistant Chris Hawkins told NCAA investigators that Jackson “would use her credit card to book flights and lodging for prospects, then Pierce would reimburse her in cash.”

Prentice Gill corroborated that admission.

“Moreover, the assistant coach stated that he learned from other Arizona State football staff members—including Pierce—that it was best to operate through third parties and not do things personally, so as to create ‘plausible deniability.'”

Pierce received a show-cause order that will keep him from participating in college athletics for eight years. If he obtains a job, he would be suspended from all activities for the first season of his employment.

Garnett’s show-cause order is for five years.

“After separating from Arizona State, Pierce failed on multiple occasions to meet his responsibility to cooperate,” the NCAA wrote. “Although he participated in an interview with enforcement staff and acknowledged some facts surrounding the unofficial visits, he consistently denied planning or arranging any portion of the visits, providing recruiting inducements, or participating in the out-of-state contacts and evaluations. Additionally, Pierce failed to provide pertinent financial documentation requested by the enforcement staff.”

The NCAA in April of this year ruled on then-head coach Herm Edwards’ role in the violations that led to a postseason ban for the 2023 team and recruiting limitations under new head coach Kenny Dillingham. Pierce and Garnett were protesting the findings.

The NCAA found Pierce, staff members and a booster “arranged unofficial visits to the school for roughly one year during the COVID-19 dead period.”

It spanned 15 weekends and 35 prospects and their families.

The impermissible contacts included tryouts, tours of the football facility and entertainment, including taking a prospects’ parents to a “gentlemen’s club.” The violations also included travel expenses. Eight recruits involved ultimately enrolled at Arizona State and played in 19 games.

Past members of ASU’s staff said Pierce “ran the show” and worried about losing their jobs if they did not comply with Pierce’s asks.

Other violations included:

• Garnett and Pierce traveling out of state to meet with families and watch prospects compete during the dead period.
• Tampering by texting (46 times) and calling a player who was enrolled at another school and not in the transfer portal.

How did NCAA investigation of Herm Edwards, Antonio Pierce punish Arizona State’s football program?

Arizona State’s football program in April entered a four-year probationary period. It paid a fine, vacated records and saw a scholarship reduction after the NCAA found Level I recruiting violations under Edwards’ staff.

The NCAA announced those penalties earlier in the year but split the case with Pierce and Garnett still protesting the findings to allow the school to move forward. The Sun Devils already served a 2023 bowl ban that was self-imposed.

ASU and four former employees reached an agreement with a Committee of Infractions panel after it was found they broke recruiting rules during the COVID-19 dead period in 2020.

ASU’s recruiting restrictions limited when the current staff could contact recruits and host them on visits, reported SunDevilSource.com’s Chris Karpman.

The NCAA additionally said in April that the school has disassociated an involved booster for five years as part of the findings.

Edwards was found to have violated responsibility rules. Karpman added he received a show-cause penalty that limits his NCAA employment for at least three years. The NCAA and ASU agreed the school did not properly monitor its football program.

“The COVID dead period rules were created not only for the sake of competitive equity but for the safety and well-being of prospective and enrolled student-athletes and their families,” ASU president Michael Crow said via a statement released in April. “ASU is disappointed and embarrassed by the actions of certain former football staff members who took advantage of a global pandemic to hide their behavior.

“Integrity is a core value of everything we do at Arizona State University and that includes Sun Devil Athletics,” Crow added. “ASU took quick and decisive action upon learning of potential violations and cooperated fully with the NCAA from start to finish in a way that the enforcement staff described as a ‘model for all institutions to follow.’”

Edwards’ firing in 2022 followed that of Pierce, offensive coordinator Zak Hill, plus assistants Gill, Hawkins and Adam Breneman.

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