NCAA Penalty Structure basics

[blacklistedbully]

Here is the official NCAA penalty matrix:
http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/matrix.pdf

Note that the penalties are enforceable for ONE violation. The severity of the punishment for each violation can be, "aggravated, standard or mitigated".

Ole Miss has 16 level 1 violations...8 of those 16 vs the football program. An additional 2 are for level 2 violations

Violation Level I Competition Penalties: Postseason Ban *Competition penalties may be used singularly or in combination:
Aggravated 2 to 4 years
Standard 1 to 2 years
Mitigated 0 to 1 year

Violation Level II Competition Penalties: Postseason Ban *Competition penalties may be used singularly or in combination:
Aggravated 1 to 2 years
Standard 0 to 1 year
Mitigated 0

Violation Level I Scholarship Reductions of Involved Sport(s) Program(s)*:
Aggravated 25 to 50%
Standard 12.5 to 25%
Mitigated 0 to 12.5%

Violation Level II Scholarship Reductions of Involved
Sport(s) Program(s):
Aggravated 12 to 25%
Standard 0 to 12.5%
Mitigated 0 to 5%

* For cases in which financial aid overages have occurred, a minimum 2-for-1 reduction in financial aid awards shall apply up to at least 20% of the team financial aid limit.

Violation Level I Show-Cause Order Restrictions:
Aggravated 5 to 10 years
Standard 2 to 5 years
Mitigated 1 to 2 years

Violation Level II Show-Cause Order Restrictions:
Aggravated 2 to 5 year
Standard 1 to 2 years
Mitigated 0 to 1 year


These are just the 3 biggest categories, and do not include recruiting restrictions, fines, etc.

OM fans, we know your admin has lied to you. We know your OM-owned state newspaper has lied to you. We know your coaches have lied to you. We know the sycophant various Ole-Miss beat-writers have lied to you. So I'm doing you a favor and showing you what you are up against.

Look at the NCAA Penalty Matrix, realize these penalties can be applied to as little as ONE violation, and can also be multiplied and/or categorized as a higher, "circumstance" (Aggravated, Standard or Mitigated) based on multiple violations (for instance, multiple standard circumstances can be punished as harshly as a single aggravated circumstance), and do the math yourselves.

[Reason2succeed]

Can someone define or spell out what types of violations draw which penalties? Or is that something that the COI does themselves?


Overall I agree. If the NCAA Simply follows their new matrix OM will be a dumpster fire for 10 years or they will just self impose a death penalty and get it over with.

[blacklistedbully]

Can someone define or spell out what types of violations draw which penalties? Or is that something that the COI does themselves?


Overall I agree. If the NCAA Simply follows their new matrix OM will be a dumpster fire for 10 years or they will just self impose a death penalty and get it over with.

Already have. The chart above lists the recommended penalties for Level 1 & Level 2 violations. We already know there are 8 Level 1 and 2 Level 2 violations for football alone.

So, for each L1 violation, scholarship losses can be anywhere from 0 to 50%, depending on circumstances (Aggravated, Standard or Mitigated).

For each L1, postseason bans can be anywhere from 0 to 4 years.

For each L1, show causes can be from 1 to 10 years.

For L2:
Scholly losses from 0 to 25%
Postseason bans from 0-2 years
Show causes from 0-5 years

If the committee decides to give Ole Miss, "Mitigated Circumstances" on any of the above, they are supposed to justify it and explain the reasons.

[Coach34]

Here is where the big disconnect is:

OM is trying to say most of the Level 1's are mitigated and they have convinced their fans they THINK the NCAA is going to accept it. But when the NCAA doesn't- they will tell their fans "that mean ol NCAA over punished us. They are so unfair"

So when the Bowl Ban and all that finally hits- you will see the Spin Doctors turn toward the NCAA to blame them. Not that they had mislead their fanbase throughout the entire process

[blacklistedbully]

Not only that, but even if every damn one of their violations is mitigated, there are so many they could still end up with crippling sanctions of 20+ scholarship losses, 2+ seasons post-season band, and some show causes, etc.

If any one of the 8 level 1 violations is deemed to be, "Standard Circumstances" they could lose 25+ scholarships. If any of the 8 are classified as, "Aggravated", they could lose 30+ and be in the toilet for a decade or more.

[Dawgface]

Are we going to just wake up one day and see the penalties posted on an NCAA website? Any idea when?

[Treemydawg]

Tha roof, tha roof , tha roof is on fire. We don't need no water let this mother****er burn, burn mother****er burn. Haha

[Indndawg]

Speculate: how will the NCAA respond to OM cheating while in town, flagrant and in your face.

[Dawgowar]

Not only that, but even if every damn one of their violations is mitigated, there are so many they could still end up with crippling sanctions of 20+ scholarship losses, 2+ seasons post-season band, and some show causes, etc.

If any one of the 8 level 1 violations is deemed to be, "Standard Circumstances" they could lose 25+ scholarships. If any of the 8 are classified as, "Aggravated", they could lose 30+ and be in the toilet for a decade or more.

Okay - before I read the NOA I had settled on ULL + 4 for the Saunders stuff. Roughly 15 scholarships and since it was academics maybe a one year post-season ban.

The NCAA can't let time be a major determining factor in lessening a penalty. If they do, you tell every school to delay and kill the clock if investigated. Hiding a wrong is better than facing the music 100% of the time.

Just a hunch, Saunders was let go by UNM but not because of his recruiting methods.

ULL got significant dings for this and had less involved. That remains a 15 Scholarship loss minimally.

Move on to the rest of the train wreck. The HC with a booster while benefits given. Involvement of assistants. The entire pre-draft Tunsil issue with cars and loans. Toss in multiple sports with a similar pattern of management.

This, IMHO, put them in the land of 18-25, closer to 18 if they had truly cooperated.

Then came draft night coupled with what we refer to as Round II allegations.

If the UNM administration, staff, and boosters are caught in even one lie about cooperation with each other, benefits being paid, or another violation, UNM just moved into the land of AGGRAVATED. In that instance they will finally get the kind of recognition the USC Trojans got. 20-30 scholarships, SC's, and postseason would demolish them in this conference.

For how long will they wander in the wilderness? Well, 30 for 30 will make a movie about "Vanderbilt - From Conference Cellar to National Title" before UNM is done being homecoming fodder.

[QuadrupleOption]

Guys, they're screwed. It's just a matter of letting it all play out.

UNM has been busted, dead to rights, providing payments to at least one player. From the coaching staff. By multiple coaches (Barney what's-his-name and Kiffin). There is no way in Hell they skate on this. No way.

While I don't think they'll get the Death Penalty, it will be the closest thing to it. All we have to do is let it play out, and keep our noses clean. Once they get hammered we will own this state.

[Dawgowar]

Agree, and though a minority opinion, I do not mind letting it play out longer. More collateral damage will be inflicted.

[redstickdawg]

I would love to see them get 30 over 3 years, that is they are allowed to sign 30 scholarship players over a 3 year period. Realistically they could be looking at near death experience as they have been caught cheating several years into an on-going investigation. That reeks of no fear or respect for the NCAA and in reality repeat offenses, certainly not taking any heed of the fact that the NCAA is in the process of giving your sports programs a colonoscopy.

[Coach34]

Thats something the Bearsharks just dont seem to realize will be a factor:

You are getting busted for cheating while under investigation already. That fact is not going to be lost on the COI

[blacklistedbully]

Wonder if it will be lost on the COI that Ole Miss, through their legal representation, have already awarded for themselves, "exemplary cooperation"?

[Todd4State]

Wonder if it will be lost on the COI that Ole Miss, through their legal representation, have already awarded for themselves, "exemplary cooperation"?

Yeah- nothing but a few mistakes were made. Who knew you weren't allowed to set up a complicated structure to pay players and their families?

[Reason2succeed]

My bad. I thought that academic fraud would be treated differently from impermissible benefits. I got it now. It doesn't really matter just that it is level 1. Okay, they're screwed.

Even if the NCAA wanted to be lenient on them for some reason they would not be able to justify it. EIGHT LEVEL ONES!!!

They're going to be buried.

[tireddawg]

Here is where the big disconnect is:

OM is trying to say most of the Level 1's are mitigated and they have convinced their fans they THINK the NCAA is going to accept it. But when the NCAA doesn't- they will tell their fans "that mean ol NCAA over punished us. They are so unfair"

So when the Bowl Ban and all that finally hits- you will see the Spin Doctors turn toward the NCAA to blame them. Not that they had mislead their fanbase throughout the entire process

I've heard mitigated a thousand times. Why would they even be mitigated?
Maybe some could be, but all of em? Nah. More delusion..

[Coach34]

I've heard mitigated a thousand times. Why would they even be mitigated?
Maybe some could be, but all of em? Nah. More delusion..

Thats what they are selling their fans. And of course their fans eat it up...

[JDog13]

Why are you idiots still discussing this? Nothing is gonna happen to them. They invited the NCAA back to campus for God's sake.

[tireddawg]

So the actually OM brass are telling their fans this? They're willing to get as deep as it takes. Even if it were true, they wouldn't know at this point. Man I tell ya, I just don't know what to say about those folks. My OM friends won't even talk football at the moment. Very telling.

[Sienfield]

Hugh Freeze: " Was that wrong? I have to tell you if someone had told me that was wrong when I was hired I wouldn't have done that."

[PassInterference]

They say they didn't knowingly cheat. #MistakesWereMade

Hugh Freeze, more than any other coach, prides himself on recruiting. There is NO WAY he and his staff didn't know the NCAA recruiting rules. It's what's most important to them, so of course they knew the rules.

Furthermore, they and every other college coach in America has to take a test each year certifying their knowledge of NCAA rules.

#LiesWereTold

[Reason2succeed]

The NCAA investigators and Committee on Infractions are not some sequestered jury that doesn't get to listen to the media. As pointed out in Thamel's article they took offense at Bjork's statement that the investigation was over when it clearly wasn't.

They are also probably going to note that Freeze and Bjork are showing little contrition and remorse about this. Being defiant about your own innocence and even blaming rival schools in the face of all of this evidence has to rub them the wrong way. They are basically calling the NCAA tools.

Hugh Freeze still has not learned to keep his mouth shut and I'd bet on Friday that he puts more drivel out there.

[Indndawg]

That's my question: How will cheating under the NCAA's noses be factored into the punishment matrix. The matrix seems pretty objective, but there's got to be a little subjectivity involved

[BB30]

As much time and resources that the NCAA has used over the last several years investigating I just do not see any way that they don't get hammered. You don't spend several years investigating something to just slap them on the wrist. The NCAA is down to their last life line and this is a golden opportunity to hammer a school that is considered decent but is not one of the "elites". No way they let them skate by without significant punishment. If they do they will be making their own death bed.

[Bubb Rubb]

Thats what they are selling their fans. And of course their fans eat it up...

There is no way they will get mitigated status for all 8 level ones. The best they can hope for is 2 or 3 and maybe one reduced to level 2. Even with that, they will still have 4 or 5 level one violations. Yeah, not good.

[Reason2succeed]

How many of them will be aggravated is the better question. By themselves I could see how you could mitigate some of the penalties but after all of the other stuff and the fact OM got caught cheating while still under investigation should cause all of them to be aggravated.

[Hrdawg82]

Thats something the Bearsharks just dont seem to realize will be a factor:

You are getting busted for cheating while under investigation already. That fact is not going to be lost on the COI
The greatest quote from the SMU documentary is when they say, "we can't just stop paying, we have a payroll now". That's what OM is in right now. They have a payroll that has to be maintained no matter what, even if the NCAA is in town

[Political Hack]

Okay - before I read the NOA I had settled on ULL + 4 for the Saunders stuff. Roughly 15 scholarships and since it was academics maybe a one year post-season ban.

The NCAA can't let time be a major determining factor in lessening a penalty. If they do, you tell every school to delay and kill the clock if investigated. Hiding a wrong is better than facing the music 100% of the time.

Just a hunch, Saunders was let go by UNM but not because of his recruiting methods.

ULL got significant dings for this and had less involved. That remains a 15 Scholarship loss minimally.

Move on to the rest of the train wreck. The HC with a booster while benefits given. Involvement of assistants. The entire pre-draft Tunsil issue with cars and loans. Toss in multiple sports with a similar pattern of management.

This, IMHO, put them in the land of 18-25, closer to 18 if they had truly cooperated.

Then came draft night coupled with what we refer to as Round II allegations.

If the UNM administration, staff, and boosters are caught in even one lie about cooperation with each other, benefits being paid, or another violation, UNM just moved into the land of AGGRAVATED. In that instance they will finally get the kind of recognition the USC Trojans got. 20-30 scholarships, SC's, and postseason would demolish them in this conference.

For how long will they wander in the wilderness? Well, 30 for 30 will make a movie about "Vanderbilt - From Conference Cellar to National Title" before UNM is done being homecoming fodder.

They left USC in the dust months ago. They're going for broke.

[Political Hack]

The greatest quote from the SMU documentary is when they say, "we can't just stop paying, we have a payroll now". That's what OM is in right now. They have a payroll that has to be maintained no matter what, even if the NCAA is in town

Yep.

[Dawgology]

The greatest quote from the SMU documentary is when they say, "we can't just stop paying, we have a payroll now". That's what OM is in right now. They have a payroll that has to be maintained no matter what, even if the NCAA is in town

You hit the nail on the head. UNM is between a rock and a hard place. There are strong...STRONG rumors out there that the NCAA is offering immunity to current athletes willing to work with them. If UNM stops paying then some players will roll on them because they have no reason not to. That would start a snowball I believe. At his point UNM HAS to double-down or they are screwed. So...which gamble do you take? Stop paying and risk the good chance that an athlete will flip or keep paying and hope the NCAA doesn't (or hasn't already) uncovered your strategy.

[1bigdawg]

That's my question: How will cheating under the NCAA's noses be factored into the punishment matrix. The matrix seems pretty objective, but there's got to be a little subjectivity involved

The subjectivity comes in when the COI classifies a violation as aggravated, standard, etc.

[Political Hack]

The subjectivity comes in when the COI classifies a violation as aggravated, standard, etc.

The fact that a suspect in an ongoing NCAA investigation was texting an OM athletics administrator during the investigation asking for money removes any chance for leniency. They were screwed before. I don't even know what to call it now. And they still haven't fired Barney. They're about to get ripped a new one.

Another things that's lost in this is the whole "SEC office will help." That might be true in its face, but several SEC members turned them in. The voting members of the SEC. The front office has its hands tied here. Barring a clean break from the NCAA, there's no saving OM at this point.

[LockeDawg]

The fact that a suspect in an ongoing NCAA investigation was texting an OM athletics administrator during the investigation asking for money removes any chance for leniency. They were screwed before. I don't even know what to call it now. And they still haven't fired Barney. They're about to get ripped a new one.

Another things that's lost in this is the whole "SEC office will help." That might be true in its face, but several SEC members turned them in. The voting members of the SEC. The front office has its hands tied here. Barring a clean break from the NCAA, there's no saving OM at this point.

No salvation to be had in the Grove. They were in deep before the draft night text expose - now that the whole nation knows the scheme included an Asst AD, they are royally screwed.

[Reason2succeed]

No salvation to be had in the Grove. They were in deep before the draft night text expose - now that the whole nation knows the scheme included an Asst AD, they are royally screwed.

Even if they were trying to make a backroom deal, even if the SEC was trying to step in and save them, even if Freezus pronounces the "favor of God and some luck" on them they are still screwed.

That's why I and I alone think that all of the precedents set for not handing out bowl bans, TV bans, and even the death penalty are moot at this point. No one including SMU has gone to these lengths to cheat. No one has ever been this brazenly dishonest. And this was done after 2012 when the NCAA claimed to be getting their sack back.

And might I add that the SEC is not going to be happy that their streak of no one on probation is being broken by such a rogue administration.