Buffaloes get probation/ Neuheisel violations put restrictions on

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Oct 9, 2002 by John Branch

BOULDER - Dozens of letters left the University of Colorado football offices this morning, headed for would-be recruits around the country. The message: We're OK.

The NCAA announced Tuesday it has reduced the number of Colorado football scholarships, restricted coaching visits and placed the school on two years probation after a three-year investigation found more than 50 violations.

There are no restrictions on bowl or television appearances. But the school is subject to the NCAA's repeat-offender provisions for five years, meaning any further indiscretions could result in more crippling sanctions.

"Really, the damage is very, very minimal," Colorado coach Gary Barnett said.

Most of the violations involved improper contact with recruits from 1995 to 1998 under coach Rick Neuheisel, now at Washington.

"In many instances these violations would not be considered very serious, but in the recruiting process, any recruiting violation could impact the decision of a prospective student-athlete," said Tom Yeager, commissioner of the Colonial Athletic Association and chairman of the Committee on Infractions. "What made this case 'major' were not only the calculated attempts to gain a recruiting advantage, but also the number and pattern of the violations."

Neuheisel didn't avoid a penalty. He will not be allowed any off- campus visits with recruits through next May. Most coaches make about 50 such visits a year to meet high-school coaches and parents.

"That is a significant restriction in recruiting," Yeager said.

Colorado will lose five of its permitted 25 football scholarships in either 2003-04 or 2004-05. Barnett plans to take the cut in 2004- 05 when he projects having 17 available scholarships, due to being close to the total number of 85 scholarships allowed at any one time. On average, Barnett has awarded 20.5 scholarships per season.

Colorado will be limited to 51 on-campus, expense-paid visits from potential recruits - instead of the usual 56 - the next two years. Barnett said the reduction gives the program less flexibility in extending invitations.

And six Colorado coaches, not the usual seven, will be allowed on the road at any time for recruiting through next July. Barnett said it will force some schedule juggling, but stamped it as "eliminating a luxury."

Investigators found that Neuheisel "set a tone" in "attempting to push the limits of recruiting legislation," the NCAA's report says, while the university "failed to adequately monitor the recruiting practices of its former staff." Two members of that staff, Brian Cabral and Jon Embree, remain with Colorado.

The violations centered on contact with 26 unnamed student- athletes. Seven came to Colorado. Investigators said Colorado coaches often were guilty of "bumping," or running into recruits at their high schools or homes during non-contact periods. On Tuesday, Barnett defended Neuheisel, saying that while Colorado has stopped the practice, few other schools have.

"It happens so much that you're at a disadvantage if you don't," Barnett said.

Other infractions included providing apparel to recruits without retrieving it at the end of the visit; allowing a reporter and photographer to accompany a recruit on a visit; and excessive reimbursement to recruits for items such as mileage to and from the hometown airport, and to Colorado athletes given a per-diem to entertain those recruits in Boulder.

Last March, Colorado responded to the allegations by self- imposing similar penalties.

"Most people would assume that the committee would do something above what we self-imposed," said Barnett, who vowed Colorado will not have any further problems. "What they did was very, very minute."

The letters to recruits should begin arriving in mailboxes this week.

"It's so they understand there really are no penalties," Barnett said. "They won't notice one bit of difference."

- John Branch may be reached at jbranch@gazette.com

JUDGEMENT DAY FOR CU

The University of Colorado received its punishment from the NCAA's Committee on Infractions on Tuesday, stemming from dozens of infractions regarding improper recruiting practices under former football coach Rick Neuheisel and the school's inability to monitor those practices. Neuheisel left in January 1999 to become coach at Washington.

Colorado's penalties

Two years probation, which began Tuesday.

Reduction of 25 possible football scholarships to 20 for either the 2003-04 or 2004-05 school years, at the university's choice.

Reduction of expense-paid campus visits from 56 to 51 for 2002- 03.

Reduction in number of football coaches permitted to recruit off campus at any one time from seven to six from now through July 31, 2003.

Neuheisel's penalty

No off-campus recruiting visits allowed through May 31, 2003.

On the net: The NCAA's full report on the University of Colorado investigation can be found at www.ncaa.org.