TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Jameis Winston has dodged another bullet for the time being.
Thus far into its investigation, Florida State’s compliance office has yet to find any evidence Winston, who will lead the second-ranked Seminoles against No. 5 Notre Dame on Saturday night in a showdown between 6-0 teams, received money in exchange for thousands of authenticated autographs.
“At this time we have no information indicating that he accepted payment for items reported to bear his signature, thereby compromising his athletics eligibility,” athletic director Stan Wilcox wrote in a statement Friday afternoon. “The fact that items appear on an Internet site bearing the signature of a student-athlete does not singularly determine a violation of NCAA rules.”
ESPN reported this week more than 2,000 Winston signed items were authenticated by the same company, James Spence Authentication, that was linked to suspended Georgia running back Todd Gurley.
Wilcox, however, didn’t say the investigation is over. The NCAA could opt to look into the matter as well.
Also on Friday, Winston’s adviser, David Cornwell, said the quarterback has complied with the first deadline in Florida State’s code of conduct hearing process. Winston is facing a hearing to determine whether four sections of the code of conduct have been violated: two for sexual misconduct and two for endangerment for an alleged sexual assault on a former Florida State female student in December 2012.