The NCAA reportedly concluded an 18-month investigation into Rutgers by finding that the school and members of the athletic department committed seven possible violations for not complying with NCAA standards, according to Keith Sargeant of NJ Advance Media.
The alleged violations stem from Kyle Flood's tenure as the head coach of the football program. Flood was fired following the 2015 season.
Per Sargeant's report, "Flood provided former cornerback Nadir Barnwell with an impermissible extra benefit by directly contacting a professor seeking special consideration for Barnwell in an academic course relating to the 2014-2015 academic year."
The NCAA also charged Flood with "failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance in the football program, violating the principles of NCAA head coach responsibility legislation."
Other possible instances of wrongdoing include recruiting violations and "inconsistencies" in the football team's drug-testing program, leading to the expectation that the NCAA will charge the university with a "failure to monitor" its athletic program.
The drug-testing failures were extensive, per Steve Politi of NJ.com:
The full violations are below, included in Rutgers President Robert Barchi's letter responding to the allegations:
The former head football coach is alleged to have provided a former student-athlete with an impermissible extra benefit by directly contacting a professor seeking special consideration for the student-athlete in an academic course relating to the 2014-2015 academic year. In addition, he is charged with failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance in the football program, violating the principles of NCAA head coach responsibility legislation. Both allegations are deemed Level II by the NCAA.
A former assistant football coach is alleged to have had improper off-campus recruiting contact with a prospective student athlete in 2014 (Level III) and the NCAA has also charged the coach with unethical conduct for providing false or misleading information to the NCAA and the institution during the investigation. (Level II)
The NCAA has alleged that between the 2011-12 academic year and the Fall of 2015, the Rutgers football host/hostess program, staffed by student workers, was not properly operated and supervised as required by NCAA legislation; that two student hostesses had impermissible off-campus contact and electronic correspondence with prospective student athletes; and that the former football director of recruiting impermissibly publicized the recruitment of prospective student-athletes. (Level II)
It is alleged that between September 2011 and the Fall of 2015, the University and the Director of Sports Medicine employed practices and procedures that violated the institution’s drug-testing policy by: failing to notify the Director of Athletics of positive drug tests; along with the former head football coach, failing to implement prescribed corrective and disciplinary actions and penalties; and failing to identify select drug tests as positive in accordance with University policy. (Level II)
Because of the scope of these alleged violations, the NCAA has also alleged that between 2011 and 2016, the University failed to monitor its football program regarding its host/hostess program and drug-testing program. (Level II)
Barchi also wrote:
These allegations by the NCAA enforcement staff are primarily focused on issues that have been well reported and discussed throughout our community. The allegations are the result of a lengthy joint investigation with the NCAA enforcement staff. As you know, we have already taken significant remedial actions concerning many of these matters.
...
The University has begun the process of reviewing the allegations in the NOA as well as assessing the level of severity assigned to each allegation by the NCAA enforcement staff. The University will comply with the NCAA process and submit its full response within ninety days followed by a hearing before the NCAA Committee on Infractions. The Committee will determine whether violations occurred, will consider aggravating and mitigating factors, and will ultimately decide what penalties should be assessed. The entire process may not be concluded until well into 2017.
Sources told Sargeant that the university is hopeful the steps it took to rectify the situation, including firing Flood, his entire staff and former athletic director Julie Hermann, will prevent the team from being banned from bowl games in upcoming years or losing football scholarships.
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