This should clear the path for the UW to hire a real football coach at the end of the year and start rebuilding the program back to the status they enjoyed during the Don James years. They need an up and commer in the mold of a Bob Stoops.

UW escapes major penalty in latest NCAA ruling

By Bob Condotta
Seattle Times staff reporter

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NCAA report on UW infractions (PDF, 217K)


The University of Washington escaped major sanctions today when the NCAA issued its ruling on an investigation into gambling and recruiting violations in the school's athletic department.
The NCAA had initially charged UW with a lack of institutional control, the most major penalty that can be levied against a school. However, the NCAA downgraded the charge to a "failure to monitor'' as had the Pac-10 Conference earlier this year.

The NCAA largely accepted penalties that UW had self-imposed and that the Pac-10 had accepted earlier this year.

The NCAA also levied no further penalties on former UW football coach Rick Neuheisel, noting that he had been fired by the school for his involvement in two college basketball tournament pools and for initially lying about his participation when asked by the NCAA.

The NCAA report said that the Committee on Infractions, which ruled on the case, "was very troubled by the fact that when he (Neuheisel) was first questioned about his participation in the pool, the former head coach did not provide truthful information.''

The penalties levied against the UW program included a cut in football recruiting visits from 56 to 48 and not allowing the school to use a boat for recruiting for the 2004-05 academic year but did not include any postseason bans or loss of scholarships.

The NCAA extended the cut in the recruiting visits and the ban on using a boat for the 2005-06 academic year as well and also said that the school may not "bank'' the unused visits for use in future years.

The NCAA also extended a probationary period against the school through February 2007.

However, the probation does not include any bans on TV games, postseason appearances or cuts in scholarships.

The NCAA also said that UW will be "publicly reprimanded and censured.''

UW was being investigated for illegal participation in betting pools by coaches and staffers in the athletic department, for illegal contact between a booster and football recruits, and for undercharging 44 football recruits a total of $132 for boat rides during recruiting visits.




"We are pleased that the NCAA has concluded its work in this case and found no lack of institutional control,'' said UW athletic director Todd Turner in a statement released by the school. "In most respects, the report is consistent with the findings and penalties of the Pac-10 and it agrees with our own investigation and corrective actions. The extension of the length of the penalties previously imposed by the Pac-10 was not expected but it is no excessive.''

The NCAA said that UW was guilty of failure to monitor because the school "did not provide the appropriate information to coaching and athletic staff members related to NCAA legislation that governs gambling activities and recruiting.''

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com