Three months after appearing in front of the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions to answer allegations of violations committed by, among other sports, its flagship football program, Boise State has heard the NCAA’s final ruling on the case.
And, suffice to say, The Association didn’t feel the self-imposed sanctions the Broncos slapped on themselves back in May were sufficiently stiff.
In its 73-page report released Tuesday, the NCAA found “that the scope and nature of the violations in five sports over a lengthy period of time, five years, in combination with a continuous pattern of violations in the men’s and women’s tennis programs demonstrate a lack of institutional control.”
The secondary violations involving the football program, which were initially found by BSU’s compliance staff and self-reported to the NCAA, stem from 63 incoming players receiving impermissible benefits that totaled just over $4,900. The benefits involved, the school stated in its official response to the NCAA inquiry this past May, “impermissible housing, transportation or meals, where an incoming student-athlete was provided a place to sleep (often on a couch or floor), a car ride or was provided free food by an existing student-athlete.”
The “services” rendered ranged from $2.34 to $417.55. All $4,934 has been reimbursed by the five dozen or so players involved. The violations occurred between 2005 and 2009.
As a result of those violations, BSU will see a reduction in scholarships from 85 to 82 in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The program had previously announced its decision to strip itself of three scholarships for this season; obviously, there have been an additional six scholarship losses tacked on by the NCAA.
Boise also self-imposed a sanction that reduced the number of preseason practices the football program was allowed to have this year and next from 29 to 26. In addition to that, the NCAA docked the Broncos three contact practices during the spring sessions in 2012, 2013 and 2014, dropping the maximum allowed from 12 to nine.
Perhaps the only good news for the football team is that, unlike the other sports involved in the investigation, they were not hit with any recruiting restrictions. The program will be on three years of probation from Sept. 13, 2011, through Sept. 12, 2014.”
The school has released statements addressing the NCAA’s decision.
“We defended the athletic program to the best of our abilities at the hearing and had hoped our self-imposed sanctions and corrective measures would be sufficient,” said Boise State President Bob Kustra.
“A number of decisions have been made since the beginning of the investigation that have demonstrated our commitment to the NCAA process,” Kustra said. “Boise State will have a diligent and meticulous approach to compliance, with a new level of leadership and accountability. The infractions and subsequent penalties have left us no margin for error going forward, and have changed the nature of oversight required.”
“Like Dr. Kustra, I was surprised by the findings. I am also disappointed,” said Boise State head football coach Chris Petersen. “However, it will not have an impact on our on-field efforts. At this time we are completely focused on winning Friday’s game at Toledo.