NCAA "Eyes" Alabama Football Again for Textbooks Infractions

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.—Key University of Alabama representatives met last month with the NCAA Committee on Infractions to answer two allegations of potential major violations stemming from the University's 2007 textbook investigation.

The NCAA released documents accusing the University of Alabama of "failure to adequately monitor its student-athlete textbook distribution system." The university ultimately admitted to the accusations.

School officials launched an internal investigation into impermissible receipt of textbooks soon after Oct. 17, 2007, when an employee at the University bookstore noticed "questionable textbook charges in excess of $1,600 for the fall 2007 semester," The NCAA was notified Oct. 19, after the UA compliance office uncovered "charges in excess of $1,300 and $1,500 for fall 2007."

Five football players, including three starters, were declared ineligible the night before the Oct. 20 home football game against the University of Tennessee.

Officials with the University have stated that a final resolution from the NCAA is expected by May, and the Committee on Infractions could apply sanctions upon individual sport programs, including the Crimson Tide football team.

However, one benefit to the University's athletics program is UA self-reported the findings of its internal investigation to the NCCA. Also, no Crimson Tide coaches or officials were involved, according to their report presented to the NCAA.

The NCAA has notified UA that the school could be subject to penalties that include loss of scholarships and restrictions of all forms of recruiting visits. The NCAA also acknowledged that UA could be subject to penalties as a "repeat violator," stemming from sanctions of the football program in 2002.

Those penalties may include the football program being shut down for two seasons if the violations were found to warrant such action.

The Alabama football program and others within the SEC have had fairly recent run-ins with the NCAA sanctions committee, proving that the NCAA has curiously turned a watchful eye on the country's best college sports conference.

Ultimately, universities, administrator, coaches, and fans can blame who they want for getting into trouble. But the simple fact is, as long as you don't break the rules, your program won’t be subject to penalties handed down by the God of college sports, the NCAA.

Good luck Alabama; you may need it. With any luck, though, you may be able to slip your way out of this minor violation like the USC Trojans have with the Reggie Bush “Pay for Play” scandal. Mr. NCAA, how is that investigation going? Hmm!