Written by Ell | 29 August 2008

The University of Alabama compliance department announced today that receiver Brandon Gibson has been suspended two games for a secondary NCAA violation.

Redshirt freshman receiver Brandon Gibson won't be available to play in Alabama's first two games as a result of an inadvertent secondary NCAA rules violation. The university's compliance department discovered that Gibson, who signed with Alabama out of UMS-Wright, unknowingly committed a violation while still in high school by accepting transportation to a Crimson Tide sporting event with a friend whose father was a UA booster and could be viewed as "a representative of the institution's athletic interest." UA officials self-reported Gibson's trip last year to the NCAA. "Our recommendation for a two-game suspension was approved by the NCAA," UA associate athletics director for compliance Mike Ward said in a statement to the Press-Register. "The student-athlete and his friend have been friends since the ninth grade and, despite having a pre-existing relationship, unintentionally committed this infraction."

This is a minor incident with the penalty being more of a technicality than anything. It does seem to explain why Gibson will not be a part of the rotation despite having excelled during the 4th Quarter Program.

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