NCAA Issues LSU Football One-Year Probation, Limits Recruiting Visits
The NCAA has handed LSU’s football program a one year probation and gave former offensive line coach James Cregg a three-year show cause penalty after violating recruiting rules during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to a decision released by the Division I Committee on Infractions, Cregg met with a prospect during the COVID-19 recruiting dead period, which the panel described as a Level- II case.
LSU will also pay a self-imposed $5,000 fine and is limited to 55 official visits. The program also self-imposed a one-week prohibition against unofficial visits and a one-week prohibition against recruiting communications.
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"Although the (committee) has encountered more egregious conduct in past cases, the violations in this case represent intentional misconduct that should be of concern to the membership," the panel said in its decision. "The COVID-19 recruiting dead period was intended to protect the health and safety of prospects, student-athletes and institutional staff. It also leveled the playing field for recruiting at a time when government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions varied across the country.”
The announcement is a completely different violation than the situation that happened with Will Wade and the men’s basketball program, which previously received a notice of allegations earlier this year. The case, which also involves the football team, has not received a final decision on penalties.
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"(The hearing) hasn't even happened yet and isn't scheduled for months," CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander wrote. "Still a ways to go before that one is resolved."
Following today's news, LSU released an official statement:
“Today’s decision of the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions involving a former LSU assistant football coach concludes a 21-month cooperative process between the University and the NCAA. Throughout this process, the University has worked in concert with the enforcement staff to determine the truth and to self-impose sanctions. We are grateful to the Committee and the enforcement staff for their work and for accepting our self-imposed penalties, and we are pleased to be able to move forward as an institution and as a football program. LSU continues to work through the IARP process regarding other allegations of rule violations.”
