NIU Athletic Director Gerald O’Dell said Friday that charges by a former Minnesota Gopher football player that O’Dell gave him money in 1983 were “ridiculous.”

Thursday’s Chicago Tribune reported that O’Dell, who served as an assistant coach to Joe Salem at Minnesota, gave “about $35” to Jerry Keeble, a linebacker in 1983. The story, which originated in the Minneapolis Star and Tribune, is part of an ongoing scandal involving the Minnesota athletic department.

O’Dell, who three weeks ago quelled rumors that he had applied for the Kansas State athletic director’s position, said he was “quite disappointed” about the Keeble story.

“That’s ridiculous,” O’Dell said of Keeble’s accusation. “I have never given money to any players at Minnesota.”

According to the Chicago Tribune, Keeble said money was available to Minnesota athletes for the asking. He also said the $35 given to him by O’Dell was just part of about $2,500 he received from various Minnesota coaches and officials.

“I know nothing about any other coaches at the University of Minnesota giving money to players,” O’Dell said.

The Chicago Tribune quoted Keeble as having said, “You’d hear a few players talking that if they were tight on cash or needed extra money or a plane ticket, they would go to a particular coach.

“Once you hear that and you come up with a problem, you see if it will work for you.

“You have to understand this was not known by all the players. when it came to where I needed I’d never have had the guts to ask if it weren’t that other people said they asked.”