Report: Ex-PSU tight end Adam Breneman placed on administrative leave at Arizona State

Former Penn State tight end Adam Breneman was placed on administrative leave by Arizona State amid an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations during the coronavirus pandemic, Yahoo Sports reported Sunday.

Breneman, the Sun Devils tight ends coach, was placed on administrative leave July 16, according to the report.

In June, Yahoo Sports reported on a “dossier of documents” concerning recruiting violations that occurred during the NCAA’s “dead period” for recruiting from March 2020 until June 1. Some of the documents reportedly show Arizona State staffers “allegedly arranging trips for prospects to visit campus” during the period, when in-person recruiting was prohibited.

According to Sunday’s report, the dossier includes “email screenshots and receipts of Breneman allegedly paying $596.20 for a recruit to visit the Tempe campus from Philadelphia.” The report also says that recruit did not choose to attend Arizona State.

At the time, Breneman was a graduate assistant for the Sun Devils. He was promoted to tight ends coach in January 2021.

Breneman has worked for coach Herm Edwards at Arizona State since 2020.

Breneman attended Penn State from 2013-15 as a top recruit out of Cedar Cliff. He dealt with injuries during his career and caught only 15 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns — all in 2013 — for the Nittany Lions. Breneman then transferred to UMass, where he caught 134 passes for 1,572 yards and 12 touchdowns in two seasons.

In 2018, Breneman announced his retirement from football, and after a brief foray into politics, Breneman returned to the college ranks to coach under Edwards in Tempe, Ariz.