Syracuse Football Reportedly Subject of NCAA Investigation

Updates from Friday, Oct. 31

Syracuse released a statement on the investigation on Friday, according to Chris Carlson of Syracuse.com:

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"Earlier today, Syracuse University concluded a hearing before the NCAA Committee on Infractions. The hearing completes a cooperative process stemming from the University's self-report of potential NCAA violations.

"None of the potential violations involve current-student athletes. The issues regarding men's basketball and football occurred years ago, with the exception of certain issues in basketball occurring between 2010 and early 2012. Since first self-reporting to the NCAA in 2007, the University, in partnership with the Department of Athletics, has implemented a series of best practices, reformed and strengthened existing policies and procedures, and realigned and improved a range of student-athlete support services.

"The University is fully committed to ensuring compliance with all NCAA regulations and maintaining the highest standards of integrity and responsibility. With this significant step in the process complete, we look forward to reviewing the Committee's findings and resolving this matter."

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Original Text

Syracuse's football program is reportedly being investigated as part of an investigation into improprieties after the NCAA's look into the basketball program over the last few years raised some questions.

According to Nate Mink of The Syracuse Post-Standard, it's not yet clear if the football team will be subject to penalties or sanctions and if there are other programs involved:

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The information shows that the NCAA inquiry that has swirled around the basketball team for two years is more involved, and that the football team is part of the investigation and potentially exposed to penalties. It's unclear if other teams are involved.

The time period being examined is not known.

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Per Chris Carlson of The Syracuse Post-Standard, officials from the school "have been invited to an NCAA hearing at the end of the month as part of a multi-year inquiry into the SU athletic department."

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...It will serve as one of the final steps before determining whether the school has committed NCAA violations and if it will be punished.

Emily James, a spokesperson for the NCAA, said she can't comment on specific or possible cases, but when investigations necessitate hearings, they involve at least one Level I or Level II violation.

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Former Syracuse football head coach Doug Marrone, now in the same position with the Buffalo Bills, told Mink that "there's nothing that I know about that we did that wasn't either punished or put forth." He also says that if there was any kind of mistake made that it was always reported. 

Current head coach Scott Shafer did not return Mink's request for a comment. 

In March 2013, Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports reported that Syracuse's basketball program had "been under NCAA investigation for a period of years.” Jim Boeheim is quoted in the piece from a media session prior to his team's NCAA Tournament game. "Same story they had last year at this time."

The Syracuse Post-Standard reported the investigation was looking into "the handling of Fab Melo’s academic eligibility and a 2007 alleged sexual assault case involving three players," Boeheim said. "I guess that's annual. I guess next year we'll get it again."

Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports noted that the NCAA's investigation into Syracuse has been going on for a long time for potentially violating an internal drug policy:

Syracuse did take action to help make sure its student-athletes remain academically eligible, per The Syracuse Post-Standard, most notably by replacing the person in charge of academic oversight.

It's almost surprising how long the NCAA has been looking into Syracuse's athletic department. There appears to be progress on that front with the upcoming hearing, though these potential findings with the football program could mean more eyeballs.