Syracuse hit with five years probation, vacated wins in NCAA probe

The NCAA revealed the penalties associated with its long-term investigation into Syracuse on Friday. While much of the investigation centered on the misdeeds of the Orange basketball program, the football program took a hit as well.

As a result, the football program was placed on five years probation for violations that date back to 2001. The NCAA also vacated the football program’s wins from games played with eligible students in the 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.

Several of the violations were self-reported by the university, but the NCAA found other transgressions as well.

From the NCAA’s release:

Syracuse discovered and self-reported 10 violations in this case, which primarily involved men’s basketball but also football. The self-reported violations, dating back to 2001, include academic misconduct, extra benefits, the failure to follow its drug testing policy and impermissible booster activity. The other violations found included impermissible academic assistance and services, the head basketball coach’s failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance and monitor his staff, and the school’s lack of control over its athletics program.

The NCAA said that the violations involved academics, issues with drug testing policies and improper relationships with a booster.

From 2001-02 through 2011-12, the school failed to exercise proper control over the administration of its athletics program and used deficient monitoring systems, which allowed violations to occur involving academics, compliance with its own drug testing policy as well as staff and student relationships with a booster. Students and staff committed violations freely or did not know that their conduct violated NCAA rules. Many of the violations were not detected for years. Staff members did not ask and ensure that relationships and activities with the booster met NCAA requirements. In at least one instance, a staff member did not report potential academic violations due to concern of retaliation.

Part of the academic misconduct included three football players from 2005 through 2007. Per the NCAA’s release, a part-time tutor “certified that the students completed the required number of hours for an internship” when he “had limited knowledge of activities completed.”

Football players were also involved with a booster who provided “more than $8,000 in cash” to three football players for volunteering at a YMCA.

The NCAA’s full 94-page decision can be read here.

Syracuse's response to the penalties, in full, can be read here.

For more Syracuse news, visit CuseConfidential.com.

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