TAMPERING TURMOIL: Georgia Bulldogs Accused of Illegally Poaching Star RB Josh McCray as Bret Bielema Sounds Alarm
Athens, GA — June 26, 2025
College football is once again caught in the eye of a storm as Georgia Bulldogs find themselves at the center of a tampering scandal involving former Illinois standout running back Josh McCray. In a heated press conference Tuesday afternoon, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema strongly implied that Georgia officials illegally contacted McCray before his formal entry into the transfer portal—an act that would violate NCAA rules and further fuel national frustration over unchecked recruiting tactics.
“We didn’t lose Josh. He was taken,” Bielema said with controlled fury. “I don’t mind a competitive market. I mind when the rules get tossed out the window for power and prestige.”
Josh McCray, a bruising 6’1″, 235-pound junior who rushed for 1,012 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, stunned the college football world when he announced his sudden transfer to Georgia just 48 hours after entering the portal. His decision followed weeks of whispers surrounding SEC interest—whispers Bielema now suggests were backed by direct, improper outreach from Georgia staff.
“I believe in developing young men and honoring the system we all agreed to,” Bielema added. “But when another program plays by different rules and wins off the field through backchannels, it hurts everyone—especially the athletes.”
The allegations center around what insiders are calling a “pre-portal pitch,” in which McCray was reportedly contacted by a Georgia booster posing as a “consultant” weeks before his official departure from Illinois. According to unnamed sources within the Big Ten, McCray was offered a lucrative NIL package exceeding $600,000 annually, including sponsorship deals with two Georgia-based trucking companies and a signature energy drink partnership—offers allegedly discussed before any NCAA clearance.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has denied any wrongdoing.
“We’ve followed every procedure, every rule. Josh is a phenomenal young man, and we’re excited to help him reach his goals,” Smart said in a brief statement. “Any suggestion of impropriety is simply not true.”
Still, the optics of McCray’s rapid transfer—combined with mounting frustrations over what some call “NIL-fueled free agency”—have intensified pressure on the NCAA to investigate. Several Big Ten coaches have privately expressed support for Bielema, with one saying, “Tampering has become a recruiting strategy. If it’s not stopped, we’re all just farm teams for the SEC.”
Meanwhile, McCray himself has stayed mostly silent, releasing a short message on social media thanking Illinois for “everything,” and stating he’s “ready for the next chapter.” Sources close to his family say the move was as much about opportunity as it was exposure—Georgia’s recent success with NFL-bound backs like Nick Chubb and D’Andre Swift loomed large.
The NCAA has yet to formally comment but confirmed it has “opened a preliminary inquiry” into McCray’s transfer and the timeline surrounding his communications.
As college football teeters between tradition and a new era defined by NIL and instant transfers, the McCray saga underscores a growing rift—and a question that won’t go away: Who’s really coaching the players—the universities or the money?
Would you like a follow-up article, perhaps a reaction piece from fans or players?
