I was just watching the 6:00 PM news from B'ham and the lead story was the NCAA investigating Alabama again. This was the first I've heard of this so I looked to see if there was any more info on it. I just pull this off the front page of al.com, looks like it's the latest developments in this story.....

Updated story: NCAA alleges potential "major" violations in Alabama textbook investigation - The Bama Beat - al.com

Updated story: NCAA alleges potential "major" violations in Alabama textbook investigation
Posted by Gentry Estes, Mobile Press-Register March 05, 2009 5:53 PM

Here is the Press-Register's latest story updating earlier news regarding NCAA allegations of potentially "major" violations at Alabama. ...

TUSCALOOSA -- Representatives of the University of Alabama met Feb. 20 with the NCAA Committee on Infractions to answer two allegations of potentially major violations stemming from the school's self-initiated 2007 textbook investigation.


Associated Press
Former tailback Glen Coffee was one of five Tide football players suspended during UA's 2007 investigation in textbook violations.UA was accused of and admitted to "failure to adequately monitor its student-athlete textbook distribution system," according to documents released today. A final resolution from the NCAA is expected by May. The Committee on Infractions could apply sanctions toward multiple offending Crimson Tide sports programs, including the football team.

The NCAA accused UA of textbook violations "at least (through) the 2005-06 academic year and continuing through the fall of 2007."

It notified Alabama that the school could be subject to penalties that include loss of scholarships and restrictions of recruiting trips and visits. It's doubtful that Crimson Tide teams would be banned from postseason play, since the infractions do not appear to involve a competitive advantage or reflect a lack of institutional control, criteria spelled out in the NCAA manual.


However, the NCAA acknowledged that UA is subject to penalties as a "repeat violator," stemming from sanctions in 2002. Those penalties, in the most rare and extreme instances, could include a program being shut down for two seasons.

School officials launched an internal investigation into impermissible receipt of textbooks soon after Oct. 17, 2007, when an employee at the University Supply Store noticed "questionable textbook charges in excess of $1,600 for the fall 2007 semester" for a female athlete.

Players in multiple sports were found to have exploited the school's textbook policy, which allowed scholarship athletes to pick up required books for classes at one counter and pay for them from an athletics department account at another location.

Before checking out at the second location, it was possible for the student-athletes to add other books and supplies that were not for their classes.

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.

Center Antoine Caldwell, running back Glen Coffee, offensive guard Marlon Davis, cornerback Marquis Johnson and cornerback Chris Rogers ultimately were suspended for four games before being reinstated by NCAA reinstatement services and the Southeastern Conference.

UA self-reported the findings of its internal investigation to the NCAA, noting that no money was found to have exchanged hands during the process, and no Crimson Tide coaches or officials were involved.

"Compliance with NCAA and SEC rules is of the utmost importance to the University of Alabama and our athletics department, and I am pleased with the way our compliance officers handled this situation," School president Robert Witt said in a statement. "UA works diligently to ensure that integrity and a commitment to excellence are the hallmarks of our athletics program, and we appreciate the support we received from commissioner (Mike) Slive and the SEC, and officials at the NCAA."

In documents made available today, UA officials redacted athletes' names or additional sports teams found in violation of the textbook guidelines. Sources have confirmed to the Press-Register that the track program is involved.

The university retained the law firm of Bond, Schoeneck and King to help address the allegations. Alabama's response to the NCAA was based on arguments that:

- A textbook system was in place, though "it simply failed to do an adequate job."
- Wrongdoers did not knowingly violate NCAA rules.
- The "vast majority" of violations were unintentional.
- The infraction was isolated, and benefits were of an academic nature, and no cash exchanged hands.