Report: Notre Dame’s DaVaris Daniels denies cheating
By Phil Watson
According to a report, suspended Notre Dame wide receiver DaVaris Daniels insists he writes his own papers and likely took that stance when interviewed by university officials this week.
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CBSSports.com’s Jeremy Fowler, citing a source, reported Saturday that Daniels is telling people close to him that he did not submit papers that were written by anyone other than him.
Daniels, the Irish’s leading returning receiver, was suspended Friday along with cornerback KeiVarae Russell, defensive end Ishaq Williams and linebacker Kendall Moore while the university investigates allegations of “academic dishonesty” after finding evidence students submitted papers and homework that were not their own work.
"“He said he wrote all his papers,” the source told Fowler. “They asked him about some emails and papers that he wrote. He told them what he knew.”"
The athletic compliance office said it learned of the incident on July 29.
Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said at a Friday press conference that the school is prepared to vacate wins in which those players participated.
The source told Fowler there were emails involving a mutual friend of the players, possibly with discussions of editing help.
Daniels was suspended for the spring semester after failing to maintain a minimum grade-point average.
Daniels, a junior, had 49 receptions for 745 yards and seven touchdowns for the Irish last season—all team highs among players returning for 2014.
As a freshman, Daniels had 31 receptions, including six for 115 yards in Notre Dame’s 42-14 loss to Alabama in the BCS National Championship.