Oklahoma says Peterson's car deal doesn't violate rules

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson did not violate NCAA regulations by buying a car and returning it several weeks later, the school's compliance department has determined.

Peterson, the runner-up for the 2004 Heisman Trophy, secured a financing agreement and drove the car for several weeks last winter but then returned it, said Bonita Jackson, Peterson's mother.

"We were gonna purchase the car, but the payments were gonna be too high, so we took the car back," Jackson told the Oklahoman, which first reported the story Wednesday.

Oklahoma officials determined Peterson did not receive an extra benefit that is not available to the general student body.

"Federal law pertaining to students prohibits the discussion of internal reviews in specific terms, but we did initiate a review pertaining to an automobile dealership and its interaction with a student-athlete," Oklahoma associate athletic director Keith Gill said in a statement. "We have pursued the matter in exhaustive fashion over a five-month period. Based on the information we have gathered, we do not believe NCAA rules violations have occurred."

The dealership, Big Red Sports and Imports, regularly allowed customers who signed contracts to drive the cars for a period of time before financing had been secured, said Brad McRae, the dealership's part-owner at the time of Peterson's agreement.

"We didn't do anything wrong," McRae said. "Is it standard operating business practice? Yes, it's standard operating business practice."

Peterson's stepfather said his family is committed to keeping Peterson eligible for football.

"This is our child's future," Frankie Jackson said. "We don't want anything to happen to him because of some silly car deal. We're not going to do anything to jeopardize his future."

Oklahoma also investigated the employment of football players by the dealership but found no violations.