USC officials are investigating whether top football recruit Joe McKnight violated NCAA rules by speaking on the phone with Reggie Bush prior to committing to USC, said Tim Tessalone, USC sports information director.
Questions about the phone call, first reported by the Los Angeles Times last week, arose after McKnight announced his decision last Wednesday.
During the news conference, McKnight seemed to imply that he spoke with Bush on a conference call with coach Pete Carroll.
Carroll, Bush, McKnight and McKnight's high school coach J.T. Curtis all denied the conversation took place.
Curtis said the whole controversy might have been fueled by a miscommunication during an interview last week with the Times.
The recruit told Curtis, "Coach Carroll was talking to Reggie on the speakerphone and Joe was able to listen and hear Reggie Bush's side of the story," the Times reported.
The Times then reported Curtis reversed his statement after speaking with McKnight again and hearing Carroll's denials.
Curtis said in an interview with the Daily Trojan, however, that McKnight never told him he spoke with Bush, and he was just restating what McKnight had said during the news conference.
"When I made that quote, I was saying that Joe said that to everyone," Curtis said. "When he corrected that, when he said, 'Coach I really didn't talk with (Bush) on a speakerphone,' that's when it got to be a controversy."
Curtis said at the time, he was not aware a conversation between McKnight and Bush would be an NCAA violation.
NCAA rules state that former players, considered representatives of their alma mater, are prohibited from calling recruits or their legal guardians.
The NCAA is also investigating whether Bush and his family violated regulations by receiving improper benefits - including living in a $750,000 San Diego home for free - while he played at USC.
McKnight wanted to speak with Bush to hear his side of things, the Times reported.
"It never happened," Carroll told the Times.
Ellen Ferris, USC's associate provost for athletic compliance, agreed what might have started as a miscommunication at a student's first news conference has exploded into an unnecessary frenzy of media attention.
"Nothing really surprises me anymore," Ferris said. "It's media trying to make a story out of something.
"There are times that things get to the media that's really not anything, and there are times when it ends up being nothing, but that never seems to be reported," she said.
NCAA Spokeswoman Stacey Osburn would not say whether or not the NCAA is also investigating.
She said the NCAA only investigates violations when it is informed by the school or has enough outside sources to warrant an investigation.
Osburn said she did not have enough information to say whether McKnight's case specifically would be a violation.
Secondary violations are often reported, investigated and punished by the school, Ferris said.
Though she did not say whether or not McKnight's case would be a secondary violation, she said secondary violations are common and made no mention of major violations.
A secondary violation is one that provides only a "minimal recruiting, competitive or other advantage," according to the NCAA's website.
Curtis said McKnight might have been overwhelmed by his first news conference following his announcement that he had chosen USC.
"There were probably eight to 10 TV cameras there, (and) another eight to 10 reporters. They were all snapping pictures," Curtis said. "It was an overwhelming situation for a kid who hasn't gone through anything like that.
"Joe obviously is a high-profile guy," Curtis said. "Obviously he misspoke, but there are going to be those who choose not to believe that."
McKnight, a running back from River Ridge, La., is the No. 1-ranked prospect on ESPN.com.
