A disturbing scam has surfaced in the college football recruiting world, targeting people with little experience and big dreams.
Per sources, a fraudster posing as a Michigan college football coach has reportedly contacted high school prospects via social media, dangling what appeared to be a life-changing scholarship.
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This issue first surfaced over the weekend, when the Maryland Terrapins football team publicly stepped in. The program’s official X account issued a warning telling followers and recruits to ignore the account @coachDREWgreen. The post said, “Followers and prospects, please do not engage with the account @coachDREWgreen. This person is not employed or affiliated with our program.”
The account had been presenting itself as the Terrapins’ director of player personnel, a role that carries serious weight in recruiting. But the name does not appear anywhere on the program’s verified staff directory. In short, the identity was fabricated, and the person behind the profile has no legitimate role within the program.
Michigan State Spartans quarterback Alessio Milivojevic (11) hands the ball off during a game against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Nov. 22, 2025, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
And instead of shutting down his social media account, the fraudster simply changed costumes. He has resurfaced, claiming connections to Ole Miss Rebels football and using the alias ‘Mike Wayne’ while continuing to use the same account that was previously flagged.
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The real program connected to the impersonation was Michigan State Spartans football, but the offers themselves were completely fake. No legitimate NCAA program charges prospects money for scholarships, visits, or roster consideration. Once payments were sent, communication reportedly slowed or stopped.
Recruits and their families were allegedly told a roster spot and a scholarship were within reach, but ‘processing fees’ or other payments were required to move things forward. For families navigating recruiting for the first time, the pitch was designed to sound official enough to be believable.
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