Report: FSU to investigate Winston over autographs

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(SportsNetwork.com) – The controversy surrounding Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston never seems to end.

According to ESPN, Florida State will begin an investigation into whether Winston received money for signing autographs.

It would be the second big-name college football athlete involved in such a situation in two weeks. Georgia running back Todd Gurley was suspended by the university last week while it looks into a similar allegation.

The ESPN report said James Spence Authentication certified more than 500 Gurley autographs. A search of the JSA website by ESPN found more than 900 certified Winston autographs.

Winston apparently told Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher he did not receive money for signing autographs.

“Kids sign things all the time,” Fisher said after Saturday’s game against Syracuse. “So what do you want them to do? Stop signing stuff? We could make them not have any fans from that standpoint and not sign for anybody. That’s what it’s going to come to. And that’s a shame for college football, that somebody exploits a kid.

“Now if they’re getting paid for it, then I don’t have any knowledge of that. I don’t believe Jameis did (get paid).”

The latest report comes on the heels of last week’s revelation that Florida State will hold a student code of conduct hearing for Winston stemming from a December 2012 accusation of sexual misconduct. He was not arrested or charged after the state attorney concluded an investigation into the allegations in December 2013.

Fisher, on Monday, gave his full support to the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner and doesn’t believe the redshirt sophomore’s status for Saturday’s game against Notre Dame will be in doubt.

“I think we’ve got to be very careful in today’s society to (not) convict people before the actual due (process) in court or anywhere else,” Fisher said Monday.

Winston was already suspended for one game earlier this season, sitting out a contest against Clemson for making a lewd comment about women on campus.

Categorized in: NCAA Football

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