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Danny O'Brien Transfer: Maryland Officially Files Tampering Charge Against Vanderbilt

It appears that Maryland has officially filed a tampering charge against Vanderbilt University in the ongoing Danny O'Brien transfer saga.

This statement on Vanderbilt's athletic website from the university's Vice Chancellor David Williams was released Wednesday afternoon.

"We have been informed by the Southeastern Conference that the Atlantic Coast Conference has filed a formal complaint involving Vanderbilt University football on behalf of one of its members. We are complying with SEC and Vanderbilt procedures and are conducting an investigation on the matter."

Since we don't know of any other ACC programs that have beef with Vanderbilt at the present time, we can assume that the unnamed member is Maryland.

Jeff Barker of The Baltimore Sun, who's done yeoman's work in this regard, sums up Maryland's case succinctly.

Maryland has believed strongly that O’'Brien had been in contact with former Maryland offensive coordinator James Franklin, now Vanderbilt's coach. Under NCAA rules, a school can limit a rival program from having contact with a player without permission ...

A rival school can't encourage a player to transfer without permission. And it can't provide athletics aid in the first academic year if the player transfers without that consent.

Franklin has said he keeps relationships with former players but has maintained there was no tampering.

And on and on we go.