As widening allegations of NCAA violations at two universities threaten his coaching career, Georgia's Jim Harrick on Tuesday said none of the allegations are true but hedged a bit by saying it's possible the investigators will uncover some wrongdoing.

Southern tells Cole 'no'

What better place for former Georgia player Tony Cole to continue his basketball career than in his hometown of Baton Rouge? Problem is, Southern University doesn't want him. Cole, whose allegations of NCAA violations against Georgia in the last week have spawned investigations by the university and the NCAA, was told Monday by Southern coach Ben Jobe to pursue a playing opportunity elsewhere. "No, no, no, no, I wouldn't want him here," the 70-year-old Jobe told the Baton Rouge Advocate on Monday. "Tony Cole? I'm too old to deal with that. Years ago, maybe. "He's a kid I've helped down through the years when he was a little boy and homeless. But I don't need any problems, and I don't think the university is ready for him. I don't think this is a good situation for him." Cole, 23, played on Glen Oaks High School state championship teams in 1995 and 1996. According to the newspaper, Cole's father died several years ago in an accident and his mother is institutionalized. Cole has been on his own since before entering Glen Oaks and was kicked off the team for disciplinary reasons after the 1996 season, the Advocate said. -- ESPN.com news services

Former Georgia player Tony Cole has accused Harrick's son and assistant coach, Jim Harrick Jr., of paying part of his expenses and committing academic fraud. The younger Harrick was suspended with pay last week while Georgia investigates the claims.

Harrick's previous employer, Rhode Island, is investigating separate claims of NCAA rules violations made in a sexual harassment suit against the coach.

"We'll answer every question," Harrick said in an interview with Dick Vitale that aired Tuesday on ESPN. "Don't worry about it. I've been in this business 30 years. You don't survive by giving people money and doing people's work for them."

While Harrick said he expects to be vindicated, he also conceded for the first time that his troubled program may be guilty of "minor" NCAA violations.

"Do we make mistakes? Yeah. Will they find something minor? Maybe," he told reporters after his No. 25 Bulldogs upset No. 3 Florida 82-81 in Athens, Ga.

In another development, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in Wednesday's editions that a University of Rhode Island booster provided the $300 that Harrick Jr. allegedly wired to Cole to pay off phone bills in August 2001.

The elder Harrick coached the Rams for two seasons, leaving for Georgia in 1999. His son was on the Rhode Island staff the second season.

Charlie Tapalian said he was told that Cole needed the money to pay bills in Baton Rouge, La. Steve Macchioni, another Rhode Island man, said he forwarded the money to Harrick Jr.

"We basically were taking care of Tony Cole," Tapalian told the newspaper. "Steve said that Tony had some bills to pay at the time. I gave Steve the money, and he got in touch with Jimmy and gave him the money to send down to Cole. That's where that $300 came from."

Cole signed with Rhode Island in 1999, but wasn't admitted to school after Harrick went to Georgia.

Despite the furor caused by Cole's allegations, Georgia played one of its best games of the season Tuesday night in beating Florida.

Afterward, Harrick lingered on the court, both savoring the moment and vehemently denying Cole's allegations. The coach expects to keep his job once the investigation is completed.

"You can only take so many body blows," Harrick said. "I've been hit below the belt the last five days. But I'm confident it will all work out."

Meanwhile, one of Harrick's players at Georgia gave credence Tuesday to a potentially major allegation made by Cole, who claims he received an "A" for a class he never attended.

The class, "Coaching Principles and Strategies of Basketball," was taught by assistant coach Jim Harrick Jr., who has been suspended with pay while the school investigates his role in the growing scandal.

Georgia forward Chris Daniels, who took the same course, was summoned to a meeting with NCAA and school investigators on Monday. They are looking into charges made by Cole, who says Harrick Jr. paid off the player's bills and committed academic fraud.

While unsure if he was enrolled in the class at the same time as Cole, Daniels said, "I think it's the same one. I never saw him in there."

Daniels and point guard Rashad Wright were pulled out of practice Monday to be questioned by investigators. Wright also took the coaching class taught by Harrick Jr.

Harrick said he regrets his recruitment of Cole, calling him "a vindictive young man." Cole attended at least five high schools and five junior colleges before coming to Georgia. He was suspended last season after being charged with sexual assault and even though the charges were dropped, he wasn't reinstated to the team.

Another player, Steve Thomas, was accused in the same case. As with Cole, the charges against Thomas were dropped. Unlike Cole, Thomas was put back on the team.

Harrick said he dropped Cole because he was a disruptive influence, though he got to keep his scholarship. Cole dropped out of school in January and returned Baton Rouge.

"The other players didn't want him on the team," Harrick said. "It was a lot of things. My leash is long, but it's not that long. He had problems. He had nowhere to go, nothing to do. But the players didn't want him on the team, and the team comes first."

Meanwhile, Rhode Island spokeswoman Linda Acciardo said Tuesday the school already has dismissed two of the claims against Harrick for lack of evidence. One involved a player being provided answers to a test, the other was potential recruiting violations related to telephone calls.

Acciardo said the school has asked former athletics department employee Christine King to provide more information about her other charges.

"They are extremely vague in nature," Acciardo told The Associated Press. "Some don't even identify the players. Some have no time frame. ... If you don't have a player's name and you don't have a time frame, it's difficult to look into it."

Last month, Rhode Island paid $45,000 to King in exchange for her dropping her lawsuit. The school admitted no guilt under terms of the settlement.

In the suit, King charged that players received money from the coaching staff, including Harrick Jr., and had their grades changed. She also alleged that Harrick Jr. falsified hotel and meal reports for recruits.

Rhode Island began its own investigation but has not been contacted by the NCAA, Acciardo said.

"It's still an internal thing," she said. "If we get additional details of any kind, the finding will be turned over to the NCAA."

Harrick said he was never told about the allegations at Rhode Island until the settlement with King came to light.

"I never had a phone call. I never had a letter. Not one word was said about anything that wasn't positive," Harrick said. "This is the first I heard of it."

Acciardo disputed Harrick, saying athletics director Ron Petro called the coach around Feb. 1.

"Our athletic director spoke personally with Harrick to alert him that this was going public," Acciardo said. "I do know he reached him, discussed it with him and spoke with him personally about it."

At Georgia, starters Rashad Wright and Chris Daniels were questioned Monday about a class they took with Cole in 2001.

The class, "Coaching Principles and Strategies of Basketball," was taught by Harrick Jr. Cole said he received a passing grade without ever attending the class.

"The investigative team is seeking the truth, which is what we want," athletics director Vince Dooley said. "As always happens, one thing leads to another, which leads to another. The history is that it will go on for a while."

The elder Harrick vehemently denied that either he or his son committed academic fraud. He said attendance records show Cole was in the class, and that other athletes will back it up.

"They've talked to everybody about the class," Harrick said. "They talked to my players about the class. They talked to football players. They talked to track guys. I think everything is fine."

Cole played 16 games with the Bulldogs in 2001-02, but he was dismissed from the team after being charged with aggravated assault with intent to rape. The charge was later dismissed.

While most of Cole's allegations are directed at Harrick Jr., the former player also claims he used the head coach's personal credit card to buy a 28-inch color television from Circuit City.

Calling the allegation "ludicrous," Harrick said he obtained a statement from the store that proves he didn't buy Cole a television.

"It shows everything my wife and I have bought at Circuit City in the four years since we've been here," Harrick said, adding that the only television he purchased was in 1999. "It's a real nice one. It's in my living room."

Harrick said Georgia star Jarvis Hayes "lives in the dorm, has no car, no money."

"I rest my case," the coach said.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.