What Does Notice of Allegations Mean for LSU Football?
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While LSU basketball is facing some damaging allegations from the NCAA, the football program also will continue to be intertwined in the investigation over the next several months. Diving into the weeds of the football allegations alone is significant.
There was just one Level I violation against the football program with an additional Level II and Level III violation in the NOA against the program as well.
There was the Odell Beckham incident where he “provided $800 and $500 in cash to student-athletes 1 and 2, respectively, while on the field immediately following the game. In addition, that same night, at a club in New Orleans, Beckham provided student-athletes 3 and 4 with $500 and $200 in cash, respectively.” That incident was considered a Level II violation.
The Level III violation was former head coach Ed Orgeron having "impermissible contact" with a recruit. The far more serious Level I violation dates back to Les Miles era when former Our Lady of the Lake chief fundraiser John Paul Funes allegedly made payments of $180,000 to the father of former All-SEC offensive lineman Vadal Alexander.
These three violations combined are enough to make most athletic departments sweat a little bit but the fact they were included in the investigation with the basketball violations, there could be a case for added concern. The NCAA did throw the term "lack of institutional control" in the report which is worrisome for the athletic department for potentially more serious punishment.
At the end of the day, football is the lifeblood of LSU and practically every college in the country. There's practically nothing Scott Woodward and the athletic department won't do to try and save football from heavy violations.
The most sound argument that can be made is that the alleged violations committed by the football program is that they all came from coaches who are no longer employed at LSU. It's also been a running belief of many that if the Tigers handled the basketball end of the NOA by moving on from Will Wade, there would be a little less motivation for the NCAA to throw the book at football, which has cooperated throughout the investigation.
Additionally, the Tigers did attempt to handle the situation internally by extending a one year bowl ban to the program in 2020 and a reduction of eight scholarships over a two year period. The NCAA could see that as a sign of good faith and not throw many more penalties at football because of the compliance from the program and self imposed penalties.
This process will continue for several more months as the university has 60 days to respond to the NCAA about the allegations in the NOA before a more detailed hearing and back and forths are made before an ultimate Notice of Violations.
Football will always come first in Baton Rouge and it's likely to see LSU continue down the path of complying with the NCAA in that case with the hopes of more lenient punishment than what is obviously coming for the basketball program. Again there are no certainties when it comes to the NCAA and how this investigation continues to play out in the coming weeks and months will lead to better perspective and understanding will be the deciding factor.
