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After being tipped off by an attorney last spring about some of his star players violating NCAA rules, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel forwarded the emails to a mentor of his star quarterback Terrelle Pryor, The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch reported Friday.
Earlier this month, Yahoo! Sports reported that Tressel had known for eight months that some of his players were selling Ohio State memorabilia in exchange for cash and tattoos, but hid the information in the midst of the Buckeyes' 12-1 season.
The information came to Tressel from Columbus attorney Christopher T. Cicero, who said he wanted to warn Tressel that some of his players were selling Ohio State memorabilia to tattoo shop owner Eddie Rife, who was under federal investigation in a drug trafficking case.
Upon admitting his mistakes in a March 8 news conference, Tressel claimed he did not share the information with the school or the NCAA in order to protect the confidentiality of the federal probe. But he did nod his head when asked if he forwarded Cicero's emails.
According to the Dispatch, Tressel shared the emails with 67-year-old Ted Sarniak, a prominent businessman in Pryor's hometown of Jeannette, Penn. Sarniak is reportedly close with Pryor and had accompanied him on recruiting trips and attended Ohio State games.
"We are not discussing any issues relative to the case until it is resolved with the NCAA," university officials told The Dispatch when asked about the forwarded emails.
Tressel will sit out the first five games of next season and pay a $250,000 fine in a punishment levied by Ohio State. However, Tressel and the university could still be hit with additional sanctions after the NCAA concludes its own investigation.
Tressel was originally suspended for two games, but asked Ohio State a week ago to extend the suspension to bring it in line with the punishment given to Pryor and four other Buckeyes.
"Throughout this entire situation, my players and I have committed ourselves to facing our mistakes and growing from them; we can only successfully do that together," Tressel said on March 18. "I spoke with athletics director (Gene) Smith and our student-athletes involved, and told them that my mistakes need to share the same game sanctions.
Ohio State and Tressel had been roundly criticized because the initial two-game ban was viewed as a slap on the wrist, requiring Tressel only to miss games against Akron and Toledo. Now, Tressel will also sit out a game at Miami (Fla.) and home games against Colorado and Michigan State.
Ohio State first reported the violations, which the school described as "major," to the NCAA last December, suspending Pryor, tailback Daniel ''Boom'' Herron, receiver DeVier Posey, offensive lineman Mike Adams and defensive end Solomon Thomas for the first five games of the 2011 season.
The players were permitted to play in the Sugar Bowl in January, which Ohio State won 31-26 over Arkansas.
As the news of the violations broke in December, Tressel falsely claimed that he had been unaware of the transgressions up until that time.
Tressel, 58, has coached the Buckeyes since 2001, compiling a record of 106-22, with a national championship in 2002, and seven Big Ten Conference titles.
