24 Army Football Players Involved in West Point Academic Cheating Scandal

Twenty-four members of the Army football team were involved in an academic cheating scandal at West Point. 

Per USA Today's Tom Vanden Brook, a total of 73 cadets were accused of cheating on a calculus exam in May. 

From that group, 55 are athletes, with 24 being football players who appeared in at least one game this season—of which 17 are still on the Black Knights' roster heading into their bowl game against West Virginia. 

In a separate report from Dec. 21, Vanden Brook noted that 58 cadets admitted to cheating on an exam that had to be "administered remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Tim Bakken, a law professor at West Point, spoke to Vanden Brook about the scandal:

"There's no excuse for cheating when the fundamental code for cadets is that they should not lie, cheat or steal. Therefore when the military tries to downplay effects of cheating at the academy, we're really downplaying the effects on the military as a whole. We rely on the military to tell us honestly when we should fight wars, and when we can win them." 

In an October memo distributed to West Point faculty and obtained by Vanden Brook, Army superintendent Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams wrote that he suspended a policy that would prevent or limit cadets in violation of the honor code from representing Army at public events, including sporting events, because it "has resulted in an inequitable application of consequences and developmental opportunities for select groups of cadets." 

West Point spokesman, Army Lt. Col. Christopher Ophardt, told Vanden Brook that punishment is being "delayed ... until final adjudication."

Vanden Brook noted that instructors determined cheating occurred because all 73 cadets "made the same error on a portion of the exam."

Seventy-two of the 73 cadets accused of cheating were in their first year at West Point. Many of the 58 cadets who admitted to cheating are currently enrolled in a rehabilitation program, per Vanden Brook. 

The names of the cadets are not being released. West Point is expected finalize disciplinary measures in January. 

Army will wrap up the 2020 football season on Thursday against West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl.