NC Central football coach accuses ACC school of tampering with player on sideline

North Carolina Central football coach Trei Oliver on Friday accused Virgnia Tech of tampering with one of his players on the sidelines before the Eagles’ home game with Howard last season.

Oliver alleged that before the Eagles’ Nov. 15 game in Durham, he spotted a Virginia Tech staff member on the team’s sideline. When he asked why, others told him the staff member was there to see George “Bulldog” Smith, an assistant athletics director at NC Central, Oliver said.

“First of all, Bulldog’s not that nice of a dude anyway,” Oliver told a crowd of several hundred at The Bill Dooley Pigskin Preview in Raleigh on Friday. Smith was honored earlier at the event.

“Virginia Tech was actually on my sideline recruiting our running back,” Oliver said.

Oliver didn’t name the player but said he eventually transferred to Virginia and not Virginia Tech. Oliver said the player received $400,000.

Former NC Central running back J’Mari Taylor now plays for Virginia. Taylor, a first-team all-conference selection and finalist for the Walter Payton Award last year, rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns in NC Central’s 26-3 win against Howard.

WRAL contacted the football program Friday afternoon for comment on Oliver's allegations. Virginia Tech released a statement Saturday morning.

“We were made aware Friday afternoon of a public comment suggesting a potential NCAA rules concern involving a member of our coaching staff. This is the first time the issue has been brought to our attention, and no concern has previously been shared with us through any formal channel," the school said in a statement.

“Virginia Tech takes all NCAA rules seriously and is committed to conducting our program with integrity. We are reviewing the matter internally and will address any findings appropriately.”

Virginia and Taylor declined to comment to WRAL through a football program spokesman.

“That was pretty bold,” Oliver told reporters when asked about the alleged Virginia Tech incident. “I couldn’t believe it. A couple coaches tried to calm me down and say, ‘Yeah, Coach, he’s just down here visiting.’ But I knew what it was. 

“I had to focus back on the game, and we won the football game. Two weeks later, my kid got in the portal. Then they were the first people trying to get in his ear. But like I said, thank God he went to UVa., and UVa. is going to beat the smoke out of them other folks.”

Oliver didn’t name the Virginia Tech staff member who he alleged was tampering with his player.

Oliver was one of five coaches at the annual event, joining NC State’s Dave Doeren, Duke’s Manny Diaz, UNC’s Bill Belichick and ECU offensive coordinator John David Baker. The five answered questions about football for nearly an hour. Oliver’s response came after all five were asked to share a “you got to be kidding me” moment in the coaching profession.

Oliver has been the head coach at NC Central since December 2018. In 2022, the Eagles defeated Jackson State in the Celebration Bowl for the HBCU national championship. Oliver is 37-21 in five seasons as head coach, including 27-8 in the last three seasons.