Former coach testifies in Albert Means recruiting scandal

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Former Memphis coach Rip Scherer told a jury Monday he did not offer a free law school education for the wife of a high school coach in exchange for getting a top football recruit to sign with the Tigers.

Scherer was the third former college coach to challenge the court testimony of the government's chief witness in a federal trial over a recruiting scandal.

Scherer was called as a defense witness at the trial of Logan Young, a wealthy businessman charged with paying a $150,000 bribe to get defensive lineman Albert Means to sign with Alabama.

Former high school coach Lynn Lang testified last week that Scherer made the law school offer while trying to recruit Means in 2000.

Asked by defense lawyer James Neal if such an offer was made, Scherer replied, "Absolutely not."

Lang, Means' former coach, has pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing. He testified that Young bribed him in cash handouts each under the $10,000 threshold for IRS reporting.

Lang said he was referred to Young by former Alabama assistant coach Ivy Williams. Williams told the trial jury last week that Lang's testimony was untrue.

Lang also testified that eight schools offered inducements while recruiting Means and three -- Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky -- handed out money. He said former Georgia coach Jim Donnan gave him $700 cash, while Memphis, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Michigan State also made offers.

Donnan testified last week and denied giving Lang money.

The government sought to link Young to Lang through Lang's testimony as well as phone and bank records.

Those records showed numerous calls between phones belonging to Lang and Young around the time of Means' recruitment.

Bank records showed that Young made numerous cash withdrawals, while Lang made cash deposits of more than $47,000.

Defense lawyers describe Lang as a liar who is trying to avoid a long prison sentence by testifying against Young.