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Fickell Claims He Didn't Know About OSU Violations

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Two weeks after Jim Tressel was forced to resign in the midst of an NCAA investigation into a coverup of improper benefits to football players, interim Ohio State coach Luke Fickell said Monday that he didn't know of any rules violations.

Fickell spoke at an introductory news conference at which he promised Buckeye fans a team that would about "respect, toughness and being men of action."

Fickell is a former linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator in his 10th year on staff at Ohio State.

He says he has been very focused on his own tasks and did not know about the memorablia-for-cash and tattoos scandal that got the Buckeyes in trouble and ultimately forced out Tressel.

Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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