DALLAS — Arkansas star Darren McFadden said Saturday he fully expects to play in the Cotton Bowl after a television report raised questions about his eligibility. Arkansas television station KARK has since backed off the report, apologizing to McFadden and his family.
“It’s something that’s uncalled for — people not getting their facts straight,” said McFadden, the Heisman Trophy runner-up. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”
On Thursday, McFadden and agent Mike Conley were linked by KARK to the purchase of a Cadillac Escalade. After strong denials by Conley and McFadden’s parents, the station said Friday its report was flawed.
“We want to publicly apologize to Mr. Conley for any distress he has experienced,” said a posting on the station’s Web site. “And we also want to apologize to Darren McFadden and his family for reporting details of this story that were not accurate.”
The 25th-ranked Razorbacks play No. 7 Missouri in the Cotton Bowl on Tuesday.
After the initial report, the University of Arkansas said it was reviewing the matter. The school released a statement Saturday that stopped short of declaring the issue dead.
“Earlier this week, media reports suggested that potentially improper steps were taken to secure a vehicle for an Arkansas student-athlete,” the school said. “Although the television station that reported the story has publicly apologized for its initial report, the University has continued to vigorously review the matter. … While it would not be appropriate to comment specifically regarding the review at this time, it should be noted that the student-athlete has not been ruled ineligible.”
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