Today, the other shoe dropped and the NCAA’s investigation into The Ohio State football program came to a close. This announcement comes almost one year after rumors began swirling that there were concerns regarding improper benefits that began the worst twelve months Buckeye fans have ever known.
As has been well documented, the initial concerns surrounded exchanging memorabilia for cash and tattoos at a local vendor. This was complicated by the revelation that Coach Jim Tressel had been notified of these transactions in April of 2010, and chose not to notify The Ohio State Compliance Office, anyone else in the Athletic Department, or anyone at the NCAA. As the investigation continued, it was discovered that several members of the football team had received improper benefits in the forms of gas money for participating in a Cleveland area charity, as well as being paid for work that had not been approved through the University’s compliance office.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, the NCAA’s Committee On Infractions has levied the following sanctions on the football program and athletic department. UPDATE: NCAA Announcement and NCAA Documentation
- Ban from 2012 post season play
- Additional four scholarship reduction, bringing total to three per year for three years beginning with 2012 class.
- Additional year of probation, bringing total to three.
- “Show Cause” designation for Jim Tressel for five years
This will be made public at a 3:oo press conference. UPDATE: Gene Smith Statement
Today’s decisions are in addition to the laundry list of impacts that these situations have had on the program over the past twelve months.
While the University met briefly with the NCAA’s Committee On Infractions on August 12, the infractions were officially addressed by the University via self imposed sanctions in addition to those given by the NCAA. As of this point, the University has been impacted in the following ways, either officially or as a part of this process:
- Reduction of nine scholarships over next three seasons (three per)
- Post season ban for the 2012 season (Bowl/B1G Championship game)
- The Football Program is on probation for the next three seasons
- Vacated of the entire 2010 season, including the Sugar Bowl victory over Arkansas
- Forfeiture of the University’s share of the revenue resultant from the Sugar Bowl victory.
- Suspension of defensive lineman Solomon Thomas for 5 games.
- Suspension of starting tackle Mike Adams for 5 games.
- Suspension of starting tailback Daniel Herron for 5 games; one additional game was added due to involvement with issues regarding Cleveland charity/employment.
- Suspension of starting wide receiver Devier Posey for 5 games; five additional games added due to involvement with issue regarding Cleveland charity/employment.
- Jordan Hall was suspended for two games due to involvement with issues regarding Cleveland charity and an additional game due to issues with Cleveland area employment.
- Corey Brown was suspended for two games due to involvement with issues regarding Cleveland charity.
- Travis Howard was suspended for two games due to involvement with issues regarding Cleveland charity
- Resignation/Termination of Coach Jim Tressel, who held the highest wining percentage of all major Ohio State coaches.
- “Show Cause” penalty for Jim Tressel
- While not directly connected, the investigation also led to Heisman candidate QB Terrelle Pryor leaving early for the NFL.
That’s a loss of a potentially Hall Of Fame head coach, 34 games from student athletes, nine scholarships for potential students, and uncounted financial resources for violations that included (most significantly) lack of integrity and @$16,206 in improper benefits ($14055 initial, $600 for gas money to charity event, $1605 undocumented labor).
UPDATE: Coach Urban Meyer has issued the following statement:
I agreed to become the Head Football Coach at The Ohio State University because Shelley and I are Ohio natives, I am a graduate of this wonderful institution and served in this program under a great coach. I understand the academic and athletic traditions here and will give great effort to continue those traditions.
It is still my goal to hire excellent coaches, recruit great student-athletes who want to be a part of this program and to win on and off the field. The NCAA penalties will serve as a reminder that the college experience does not include the behavior that led to these penalties. I expect all of us to work hard to teach and develop young student-athletes to grow responsibly and to become productive citizens in their communities upon graduation.
For those wanting to make the immediate connection with Southern Cal’s situation involving Reggie Bush, OJ Mayo, and concerns about their tennis program, I offer the following initial thoughts:
- USC got hammered by the NCAA, and unjustly so.
- The situation regarding the Trojans included multiple sports which led to a “Lack Of Institutional Control” finding. Ohio State was hit with a “Failure To Monitor”, which is slightly lesser.
- None of the players involved in Southern Cal’s situation were ever punished. While this is a major flaw of the NCAA’s process (that the sanctions impact students who were not involved), most of the punishment in the OSU finding is aimed at the people who have committed the transgressions (suspended players, coaching career effectively ended).
- Ohio State was able to coordinate their response to the NCAA in a very proactive manner- Southern Cal was unable to do so given limited resources in their Compliance office and given the fact that the involved parties were no longer part of their program.
More on this story as it develops.
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