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NCAA to Ian: No more beanies

08:14 PM MST on Thursday, November 23, 2006

Robbie Johnson/KTVB

7 Sports

The NCAA has ordered Ian to stop selling his hand-made hats and scarves. He can't even donate them to charity.

Boise State football's star running back Ian Johnson is not only a Heisman hopeful but he is skilled in crocheting. 

After selling beanies and scarves throughout the football season he has now been told to stop.  The National Collegiate Athletic Association has given the order to Johnson to stop selling his beanies and scarves. In fact he can't even give them away to charity.

Even at the start of the season, his creations got attention on ESPN during the Oregon State-Boise State game telecast. Originally the NCAA had said Johnson could sell the items as long as he didn't promote them. That was before he became a Heisman hopeful and number one in the nation for the most touchdowns.

"Obviously he is a very popular player not only in Boise but around the county and they were concerned that even if it was for charity you could never control them and people would sell them for some major profits on eBay or sites like that." said Todd Miles with BSU Sport Information.

No doubt the hats and scarves are popular. ESPN The Magazine featured Johnson in this month's issue, with a five page spread detailing his quirky hobby.

"Its become kind of a prestige thing to have an Ian Johnson beanie or scarf and I think the NCAA wanted to nip it in the bud before anything bad happened." Miles said.

Boise State says with the big game against Nevada on Saturday Johnson is probably not doing much crocheting right now, anyway. 

The hobby was Johnson’s main source of income, he has said in the past he has a backorder of about 100 requests for his items.