Oregon gets slap on wrist for recruitment violations

by Fitzgerald Cecilio

Eugene, OR

The Oregon University Ducks were slapped with a relatively light penalty for recruiting violations committed during the Chip Kelly era.

The team will lose one scholarship per year over the next two years, serve three years probation and face restrictions in phone calls and official visits while recruiting for violating NCAA rules.

Oregon's official paid recruiting visits will be limited to 37 for the next three years from the maximum allowed of 56.

The schools had averaged 41 over its previous four academic years.

Also reduced were the permissible number of fall football evaluation days from 42 to 36, over the next three years. Spring football evaluation days are cut to 144 (from 168) in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The school is also banned from the use of recruiting services during the probationary period.

Kelly, now the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, was hit with an 18-month show-cause penalty, which means that the penalties would follow him to any university he were to coach for over the next 18 months.

He has apologized to the school for its share of responsibility led to the penalties, but maintained that the NCAA investigation and subsequent ruling had no impact on his decision to leave Oregon for the NFL.

The program's probationary period will run from June 26 of this year through June 25, 2016.

Greg Christopher of the NCAA's Committee of Infractions said that Oregon surpassed the permitted number of recruiting calls and that Lyles ultimately gave a "small amount of" cash to prospects and provided improper recruiting information to Oregon.

While Kelly did not know of Lyles' involvement or that rules were being broken, according to the findings, the committee noted that it is the head coach's responsibility to ensure that every coach and staff member complies with those rules.

Christopher said that Oregon's willingness to cooperate with the investigation and correct the matter helped place the program in a better light.

NCAA reprimands, fines Kansas coach Bill Self

Lawrence, KS

The NCAA has reprimanded and fined Kansas coach Bill Self for his misconduct during the Jayhawks' Round of 32 game against North Carolina in the 2013 NCAA tournament.

During that game, Self smashed his hand against the scorers table in frustration, damaging the LED lights. Kansas won that March 24 game, 70-58.

"Coach Self's actions were out of line with the committee's expectations that championship participants act in a manner that represents the highest standards of sportsmanship," said Ron Wellman, Wake Forest athletic director and the new chair of the NCAA tournament selection committee.

According to the NCAA, misconduct 'is any act of dishonesty, unsportsmanlike conduct, unprofessional behavior or breach of law, occurring from the time the championship field is announced through the end of the championship that discredits the event or intercollegiate athletics'.

The NCAA press statement did not mention the amount slapped on Fine.

The committee also reprimanded Marshall Henderson of Ole Miss for his "inappropriate gesture toward the crowd following Mississippi's third round contest against La Salle."

"A point of emphasis with the committee over the last several years continues to be ensuring that championship participants act in a manner that represents the highest standards of sportsmanship," Wellman said. "Mr. Henderson's actions failed in this regard."

The NCAA also reprimanded Wichita State senior associate athletics director Darron Boatright, who confronted Staples Center security before the Shockers' Sweet 16 game against La Salle.

"Oregon gets slap on wrist for recruitment violations"