NCAA Passes ruling on Rutgers Violations

Rutgers fans woke up a little stressed today, but luckily that stress didn’t last long.

Today, the NCAA finally passed down its ruling on Rutgers’ NCAA violations. Details of said violations can be found here. I truly thought the NCAA was going to hypocritically hit Rutgers hard compared to programs like UNC, Baylor, among others and was fully expecting a collision of two dumpster fires in Nebraska v Rutgers on Saturday. But thankfully, Nebraska is the dumpster fire to our slightly out of control campfire kindling which can still make some damn good roasted marshmallows.

Rutgers responded to the allegations in April and recommended a number of “self-imposed” sanctions. Here is a list Rutgers’ suggested penalties and the NCAA responses.

• A one-year period of probation to begin after the NCAA's final ruling

NCAA Response: Two year probation from Sept. 22, 2017, through Sept. 21, 2019

• A $5,000 fine payable to the NCAA (this is a typical fine in such matters; RU followed past practices)

NCAA Response: Accepted

• A reduction in the number of permissible, off-campus recruiting days by a total of 10: five days in the fall evaluation period and five days in the spring evaluation period during the 2017-18 academic year

NCAA Response: Accepted

• A limitation of 36 official visits (for high school seniors and transfer students) in football during the 2017-18 academic year, a reduction by four from the average number of visits used during the four most recent academic years and 26 fewer than permitted under NCAA legislation

NCAA Response: Accepted

• A probation on initiating telephone calls, contact via social media, and written correspondence with prospective student-athletes for a one-week period during the 2017-18 academic year

NCAA Response: Accepted

The NCAA summary:

"The former head coach took a casual approach to compliance as it relates to the host program. He exercised little, if any, oversight of the group, permitting recruiting staff to administer the program with no supervision. As the individual who had ultimate oversight of all aspects of the football program, it is implicit that the head coach was also responsible for the actions of football hosts and, ultimately, the violations they committed."

Kyle Flood, by the way, received a one-year show-cause period from Sept. 22, 2017, through Sept. 21, 2018 which during that period, any NCAA member school employing him must show cause why he should not have restrictions on athletically related activity.

This is all wondrous.

The Flood has receded.