Report: Rutgers' Kyle Flood violated school policy trying to get student eligible

Days away from kickoff, Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood is in the midst of a scandal within his own walls.

Flood was told by school officials not to contact a professor to try to get one of his would-be starters, Nadir Barnwell, academically eligible, but he did it anyway, according to NJ.com's Keith Sargeant.

Related: Rutgers' Flood awaits investigation, expects to coach opener

Two officials, who requested anonymity due to the ongoing investigation, said more so than Flood sending an email from his private account, the problem is he knowingly defied policy.

"It's about Kyle trying to circumvent the process and trying to get the kid eligible,'' one of the university officials said.

The issue dates back to May, when it became clear Barnwell wasn't going to pass a course because he hadn't accumulated enough credits over the fall and spring semesters, making him ineligible for the summer session.

Academic support staff members did everything they could to give Barnwell an opportunity to make up the course work, according to the school official. Barnwell pleaded his case by sending them numerous emails to which they responded, "please ask (Barnwell) to stop badgering me."

When all was said and done, he was deemed ineligible. Flood intervened in an attempt to influence the outcome.

"The communication with him was clear as to the status of Nadir's grade and he still decided he could fight it,'' one official said, adding Flood "had a long paper trail of information'' and contacted the professor anyway.

Another official said, "It was already done and everybody in the program knew it. Kyle was told, 'It's done, leave it alone.'"