USC responds...

[JerryBeeds]

USC's Position Statement (as contained in the Summary Disposition Report).

The institution is deeply disturbed that violations have occurred. President Andrew A. Sorensen and the
outgoing Director of Athletics, Dr. Mike McGee, have overseen an extensive review of the institution's rules
compliance and monitoring program and have directed that everyone associated with the athletics program
recommit their best efforts to assuring compliance with all NCAA rules and regulations. Section H contains
a report of the corrective actions taken by the institution as a result of the institution's review.

The institution agrees that by definition, this is a major infractions case as a result of the violations described
in Finding Nos. 1, 2, 3, 8 and 10. In Finding Nos. 1 and 2, the former senior associate athletics director for
academic support services became too personally involved with the efforts of two incoming two-year college
prospective student-athletes to earn summer credits so as to establish eligibility upon their fall enrollments.
Specifically, the former administrator arranged tutoring services for the young men, and then, upon learning
that the tutoring support was not permitted by the rules because the young men technically were still prospects
(they had signed commitments but had not yet enrolled), he failed to discontinue the tutoring assistance and
to disclose immediately the violation. Further, once he disclosed the violation, the former administrator failed
to ensure that the full facts of the matter were reported. As a result, the two student-athletes had their
eligibility reinstated based in part on inaccurate and incomplete information and they subsequently competed
for a period of time while ineligible.

Also, as noted in Finding No. 2, some employees in the former administrator's unit felt he created an
environment in contradiction to stated departmental policy in which they were not free to report compliance
concerns without first reporting them to him. Such an environment is not acceptable. The institution finds
no excuse for the former administrator's conduct and agrees that for the reasons referenced, his conduct
exhibited unethical behavior as defined by NCAA legislation. As a consequence, the institution arranged for
his employment at the institution to end. The institution does ask that the Committee recognize that while
the former administrator acted inappropriately, the two involved student-athletes did complete their own
academic work and were unaware that their eligibility had been improperly reinstated. Further, the institution
filed a corrected self-report with the NCAA upon discovering that its initial eligibility reinstatement request
had contained inaccurate and incomplete information. The institution also calls to the Committee's attention
the fact that significant personality and philosophical issues existed between the former administrator and
those members of his staff who provided testimony about the environment created by the former
administrator. These differences resulted in the former administrator making personnel changes within his
staff affecting the employment of these individuals by the institution. While the institution does not dispute
that the violations as stated in Finding No. 2 occurred, the institution believes the Committee should be aware
of the context within which these individuals provided testimony against the former administrator when
considering the tone and content of their comments.

The institution also acknowledges that as described in Finding No. 3, an academic dean deviated from
institutional readmission procedures in readmitting a student-athlete from an academic suspension. As a
result, the student-athlete competed while ineligible due to what amounts to an extra benefit. Fortunately, the
investigation revealed that the dean acted as she did for reasons that had nothing to do with the young man's
status as a student-athlete, and because she had a good-faith belief that she had the authority to reinstate the
young man on her own.

Because of these violations and the fact that the full facts were not detected by the institution through its own
monitoring systems, the institution also agrees that its control and monitoring systems should have been better
in those areas. See Finding No. 10.

Finally, with regard to the other violations contained in this report, they are secondary in nature with the
exception of Finding No. 8, which relates to out-of-season conditioning sessions. It is noteworthy, however,
that the enforcement staff has concluded that the strength and conditioning staff member in charge of the out-
of-season workouts did not knowingly and willfully commit violations. Regardless of whether violations are
secondary or are unintentional, the institution has initiated the steps necessary to better ensure that even these
types of violations are a rare occurrence.


IV. NCAA Enforcement Staff Position Statement (as contained in the Summary Disposition Report).

While this case involves a number of different types of violations, at least one theme emerged from three of
the violations of this case. That theme involved efforts to keep or get several top football student-athletes
eligible, but done so in violation of NCAA rules. A key person in some of these efforts was Tom Perry, the
then senior associate athletics director for academic support services. One witness reported that Perry had
an attitude of getting things done any way he could. In the situations described in Finding No. 1 involving
Perry's efforts to get a tutor to help two prospects in their classes, which were necessary for their eligibility,
and in Finding No. 9 involving student-athlete and the transportation provided to ensure that attended class
to maintain his eligibility, those efforts of Perry resulted in NCAA violations. Particularly troubling to the
enforcement staff is Perry's violation of the NCAA principles of ethical conduct, as noted in Finding No. 2.
In that situation, Perry, as one of the institution's top athletics administrators, engaged in three distinct
violations of the principles of ethical conduct. It should be noted that Perry cooperated with the enforcement
staff.

In addition to Perry's conduct, there is the significant finding that the institution failed to exercise appropriate
institutional control in three instances as noted in Finding No. 10.

Regarding Finding No. 8 involving Pat Moorer, the institution's strength and conditioning coach, the
enforcement staff notes that Moorer was the primary actor in the finding, which the enforcement staff
considers to be a major violation. However, the enforcement staff does not believe that Moorer's conduct was
such that an unethical conduct charge was warranted. Also, Moorer cooperated with the institution and the
enforcement staff during this inquiry. The enforcement staff further notes that the institution has taken some
disciplinary action regarding Moorer related to this finding. Nevertheless, because Moorer was the primary
actor in a major violation, the enforcement staff was required to notify him that he is considered to be at risk
as the committee could impose a show cause order related to him.

[JerryBeeds]

V. Other Issues.

In addition to the above violations of NCAA legislation involving the football program, on February 9, 2005
USC self-reported a violation involving 6 baseball student-athletes. While not a part of the football
investigation, the matter has been included in the "Review of Other Issues" section of the summary
disposition report for the consideration of the Committee on Infractions.

Nature of Violation: Extra Benefit
Description of Violation: 6 baseball student-athletes received an extra benefit from a representative of
USC athletics interests who owns a Columbia-area public golf course and who waived greens and cart fees
for the student-athletes.
Type of Violation: The NCAA enforcement staff regards this violation to be major. USC regards this
violation to be secondary.
USC Self-Reports: USC self-reported the violation on February 9, 2005.


Corrective Actions Taken By USC.

USC has taken the following corrective actions in response to the violations of NCAA legislation outlined
in the summary disposition report:

An outside compliance consultant, Collegiate Sports Practice Group of Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC,
has been retained (a) to conduct a thorough review of the institution's athletics compliance systems and assist
with the development of an enhanced athletics compliance monitoring program to ensure that each office on
campus that regularly comes into contact with an athletics related matter is thoroughly educated on applicable
NCAA legislation and clearly informed of the monitoring and reporting responsibilities of that office, and (b)
to develop written policies and procedures for the investigation of possible NCAA violations of the reporting
of confirmed violations.

USC will develop enhanced educational programs on out-of-season practice time issues, media presence
during the recruiting process and the activities of student hosts. The out-of-season practice time program will
be implemented during the 2005 summer. Compliance programs related to media presence and student host
offerings will be incorporated into the educational offerings at the beginning of the 2005-06 academic year.

Athletics tutors will be required to sign a written affiant statement acknowledging that he/she has
undergone training on and understands NCAA rules and regulations. The athletics Tutor Manual will be
edited to remove any references to the permissibility of a tutor providing occasional local transportation, and
USC issued an Institutional Policy Update clarifying that such activities are prohibited.

USC will amend its official visit procedures to have both the visiting prospective student-athlete and the
student host sign a form at the completion of the visit documenting all activities that occurred during the visit,
the persons present and any monies that were expended.

USC will amend its summer camp procedures to require a pre-approval process (including brochures and
other printed materials) as well as a post-camp audit of attendees, employees and expenditures.


Proposed Penalties.

USC has proposed that the Committee on Infractions impose the following penalties as a result of the
violations of NCAA legislation outlined above:

1. A 2-year period of probation effective with the date of the submission of the summary disposition report.

A limitation of 50 on the number of permissible expense paid campus visits in the sport of football for
both the 2005-06 and 2006-07 academic years. This represents a reduction of six from the legislatively
allowed maximum of 56 per year.

A limitation of 2 fewer total financial aid awards in the sport of football than otherwise permitted by
NCAA legislation for both the 2006-07 and 2007-08 academic years.

[jneesy]

you know whats ironic??

sorensen was our president when we got busted

[Spurrierismyhomeboy]

Its ironic that everywhere that Holtz left they got in trouble!!!!! Now that is the weirdest thing isnt it!!!!!!! So yourselfs Holtz supporters

[nooneLT]

i don't think sorensen was in charge of SC when it happened. i know he left Bama in may 2002 or maybe december 2002. i remember cause my diploma was the first class that witt signed.

[GamecockRapier]

What is laughable to me is most of these are very minor issue's. We had an Incedent where Prospective Student Athelete's Shook hands with and talked to the Governor. Hell I have shook hands with and talked to the Governor at Carolina football games. He is the freakin Governor of the state and In that sense he has some say in every public University in the State. It just happened that this one was a Carolina Fan. If it took 3 years to find this they were just not going to go away until they found something. About the only thing I see that I would consider major would be the 2 students getting tutoring before they were enrolled. This whole thing is laughable.

[jneesy]

If it took 3 years to find this they were just not going to go away until they found something.

that is NCAA SOP when they want a bust

[Jordan]

What is laughable to me is most of these are very minor issue's. We had an Incedent where Prospective Student Athelete's Shook hands with and talked to the Governor. Hell I have shook hands with and talked to the Governor at Carolina football games. He is the freakin Governor of the state and In that sense he has some say in every public University in the State. It just happened that this one was a Carolina Fan. If it took 3 years to find this they were just not going to go away until they found something. About the only thing I see that I would consider major would be the 2 students getting tutoring before they were enrolled. This whole thing is laughable.
But from what I've read, the governor was "representative of USC's athletics interests." I'm pretty sure I remember this happening at another school one time too, with the NCAA not taking it to be very "minor."

But best of luck to you guys on it. I hate to see crap like this spoil the game for everyone that wasn't directly involved.

[GTmorris1970]

What is laughable to me is most of these are very minor issue's. We had an Incedent where Prospective Student Athelete's Shook hands with and talked to the Governor. Hell I have shook hands with and talked to the Governor at Carolina football games. He is the freakin Governor of the state and In that sense he has some say in every public University in the State. It just happened that this one was a Carolina Fan. If it took 3 years to find this they were just not going to go away until they found something. About the only thing I see that I would consider major would be the 2 students getting tutoring before they were enrolled. This whole thing is laughable.

I always hate to disagree with a fellow Gamecock fan, but I find NOTHING laughable about any of this. Holtz can kiss my arse. Thanks a lot guy, for everything. It sickens me that we now have to face this on top of everything else. I am going to continue to say, however, that we are going to come out the other side better off. I hope so anyway.....On one other note, WIS reported tonight they have been trying to reach Holtz in Florida all day with no success. Imagine that!! :mad:

[USC66]

I feel like I did after our last game. Only worse.

Does anyone remember the quote Holtz said a few years ago? "If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying". Seems like I remember that and commenting on how absurbed that sounded then. hmmmmm.....

[GTmorris1970]

I feel like I did after our last game. Only worse.

Does anyone remember the quote Holtz said a few years ago? "If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying". Seems like I remember that and commenting on how absurbed that sounded then. hmmmmm.....

He wasn't kiddin was he? :rolleyes:

[WayzUp]

you know whats ironic??

sorensen was our president when we got busted
That's not irony...that's what you call a trend.

[GamecockRapier]

My problem with this Logic is I still do not see Holtz listed anywhere in any of these findings I saw a senior atheletic department advisor but Nowhere does any of this mantion Holtz please correct me if I am wrong.

[GAMECOCK_FAN]

My problem with this Logic is I still do not see Holtz listed anywhere in any of these findings I saw a senior atheletic department advisor but Nowhere does any of this mantion Holtz please correct me if I am wrong.
If you don't believe Holtz should suffer most of the blame (or at least a large portion of it), read this article below. It makes some pretty good points.

Holtz leaves his fingerprints at scene of crime

By RON MORRIS

Sports Columnist


WHEN LOU HOLTZ first heard three years ago that the NCAA was sniffing around his program in search of possible problems, he lashed out at reporters. Holtz said he was insulted that the media believed he had to cheat to win.

Holtz was correct: We all believed he could win.

Now we know for certain: Holtz and his program cheated, as USC has admitted to the NCAA; and he did not win, compiling a 33-37 overall record and a 19-29 mark in the Southeastern Conference.

Wednesday’s release of a summary disposition compiled by USC and the NCAA enforcement staff confirmed Holtz ran a program that operated on the edge. It also confirmed he was the master of knowing only what he wanted to know, so that no wrongdoing could be pinned on him.

It comes as no surprise that Holtz emerges virtually unscathed from the NCAA’s probe, just as there was little mention of him in NCAA investigations when he left programs at Arkansas, Minnesota and Notre Dame to find their ways through the clouds of controversies he helped create.

Make no mistake about it, Holtz ran the USC football program for the past six years, and he is responsible for any and all wrongdoing during that span. If you believe for a minute that Holtz had no knowledge of USC’s illegal NCAA activities, particularly those dealing with gaining eligibility for his players, well, I have some beachfront property in Montana to sell you.

If you do not believe Holtz should be linked to, and directly held accountable for, the admitted NCAA violations, please read “Under the Tarnished Dome,” a 1993 book by Don Yaeger and Douglas Looney. It details all of Holtz’s less-than-stellar transgressions at the aforementioned schools. Even in college football, history seems to repeat itself.

As much as USC fans would like to believe it, Holtz did not change his wayward ways once he arrived in Columbia. Once a con man, always a con man. Taken separately, there appear to be no bellwether NCAA violations, no arranging of illegal gifts to athletes as Holtz so adeptly did at Arkansas and Minnesota. But taken as a whole, it becomes clear rules generally were considered more like guidelines for Holtz and his program.

Part of Holtz’s problems at USC had to do with his carte blanche reign over the football program. His biggest supporter, and the one who believed Holtz was incapable of being dishonest or operating outside the NCAA law, was his athletics director, Mike McGee.

This was a bad marriage to begin with, because McGee had to beg Holtz out of coaching retirement. Not once, not twice, but numerous times McGee pleaded with Holtz to leave his job as a television commentator and return to coaching. Once Holtz accepted the job, he had McGee where he wanted him ... as another card to be used in his slight-of-hand tricks.

McGee, believing the hiring of Holtz would be his legacy at USC, put his faith and trust in the coach, who stayed true to his history and took advantage of the situation. The best example is how Holtz called the shots in dealing with Derek Watson, USC’s problem child from 1999 through 2001. McGee endorsed every Holtz move that retained the eligibility of his star running back, who eluded police officers and judges as adroitly as he dodged linebackers and safeties.

At one point Holtz even re-instated Watson to the team before a suspension was complete, and McGee went along. Finally, it took the umpteenth brush with trouble by Watson for McGee to step in and say enough was enough. It marked one of the rare times when McGee put a stop to Holtz’s shenanigans.

So who pays the price for USC’s and Holtz’s wrongdoings over the years? Those that he and the athletics department tossed under the bus — academic advisors, strength coaches and assistant coaches who fell on their swords for Holtz and McGee were the ones given their walking papers.

What do you expect, though, from a head coach who demoted his son and did not have the gumption to tell him about it? One can only hope the NCAA deals gently with the USC football program as it doles out penalties for 10 violations, including six that the NCAA considers major.

SEC commissioner Mike Slive and USC president Andrew Sorensen have worked tirelessly to make the NCAA believe USC now will play by the rules and do so with integrity. With that promise from USC, the NCAA should not come down hard on the current staff for transgressions of the past.

USC now has an athletics director who, while at Texas Christian, learned of violations within the track and field program. He immediately went about uncovering all violations and fired the coach. The Gamecocks also now have a head football coach, Steve Spurrier, who in 12 seasons at Florida never had the NCAA come around his front porch.

Unfortunately, USC also has a national image to repair. Holtz’s biggest accomplishment at USC was to bring unprecedented national recognition to USC athletics. He moved the Gamecock football team to the national stage through numerous televised games, and his teams won back-to-back midlevel bowl games.

In the end, McGee and Holtz wanted so badly to paint a picture of how the USC football program was left in grand shape for Spurrier. Typically, for Holtz, it was all talk. The reality is Spurrier inherited a program in shambles, one that will be saddled with two years of probation and a reduction in scholarships if USC is granted its request to the NCAA.

The final impression usually is the lasting impression. In that respect, maybe years and years of a con game finally caught up to Holtz. He retired from coaching with a losing record at his final stop. He also left a program that is certain to be tainted by NCAA probation.

How insulting to USC and its legion of fans.


http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/12127878.htm

[GamecockRapier]

First off that moron is nothing but a hack writer with an axe to grind and I do not read anything from him. Yes Holtz ran the football program but look at the infractions very closely. Most were so petty and if it took 3 years to dig up this stuff it just means the NCAA was not going away without something. I do not condone how things were done but I would bet if you had spent 3 years at (insert name here) university then you could find something on any body. The NCAA crawled up Carolina's backside with a microscope for 3 years and couldn't do any better then these.

[SPURED]

i would not want to be a college football player now days. i would never know who i can and can not talk to without getting in some kind of trouble.

[cocky4ever]

First off that moron is nothing but a hack writer with an axe to grind and I do not read anything from him. Yes Holtz ran the football program but look at the infractions very closely. Most were so petty and if it took 3 years to dig up this stuff it just means the NCAA was not going away without something. I do not condone how things were done but I would bet if you had spent 3 years at (insert name here) university then you could find something on any body. The NCAA crawled up Carolina's backside with a microscope for 3 years and couldn't do any better then these.
You know why they put SC under a microscope? Because Holtz has a repeated history of being at a school that is comitting violations. Basically every school he's been at has committed violations while he was there.

[GAMECOCK_FAN]

First off that moron is nothing but a hack writer with an axe to grind and I do not read anything from him. Yes Holtz ran the football program but look at the infractions very closely. Most were so petty and if it took 3 years to dig up this stuff it just means the NCAA was not going away without something. I do not condone how things were done but I would bet if you had spent 3 years at (insert name here) university then you could find something on any body. The NCAA crawled up Carolina's backside with a microscope for 3 years and couldn't do any better then these.
And who would you like to lay the blame on? Your inital post basically insinuated that you did not blame Holtz since he was only listed on one of the infractions. I agree that the majority of the infractions were minor. However, they were infractions and all of them occurred under Holtz's watch. Therefore, they have to fall on his shoulders IMO. And as cocky4ever stated, Holtz has a repeated history of being at a school where (and when) that school committed violations.

[Dr. Pepper]

I realize that rules are rules (and there must be a gazillion of them), but talk shows and editorials are being written about how corrupt the USC program is when we provided tutoring, a ride to campus, and assistance in getting some borderline students eligible. I don't really think that a few rounds of golf is equal to buying cars, providing trips to exotic places, or giving large sums of cash to some boys momma.

We will take a hit, but we will survive this with little consequence to the program. What bothers me is that the NCAA has more rules than an Iraqi minefield. No program in America can avoid stepping on something, and eventually everyone will have their turn of embarrassment.

[JBryant12]

yeah its been a hard offseason as far as embarassment goes for USC...first all the arrests and now this...but it will only make us stronger

[supergenius]

I realize that rules are rules (and there must be a gazillion of them), but talk shows and editorials are being written about how corrupt the USC program is when we provided tutoring, a ride to campus, and assistance in getting some borderline students eligible. I don't really think that a few rounds of golf is equal to buying cars, providing trips to exotic places, or giving large sums of cash to some boys momma.

We will take a hit, but we will survive this with little consequence to the program. What bothers me is that the NCAA has more rules than an Iraqi minefield. No program in America can avoid stepping on something, and eventually everyone will have their turn of embarrassment.
If you get the punishment that alot of people think( 10-15 schollys over 3-4 years) the program will feel it, trust me on that one. Not this year or maybe even next but depth will become an issue in 2007-2008.

[GamecockDieHard]

First off that moron is nothing but a hack writer with an axe to grind and I do not read anything from him. Yes Holtz ran the football program but look at the infractions very closely. Most were so petty and if it took 3 years to dig up this stuff it just means the NCAA was not going away without something. I do not condone how things were done but I would bet if you had spent 3 years at (insert name here) university then you could find something on any body. The NCAA crawled up Carolina's backside with a microscope for 3 years and couldn't do any better then these.
Yeah, I see your point, but 6 infractions that are considered serious??? You and I may think they're petty but the NCAA does not. Whatever happens, it sucks. Anyway you want to paint it. I think the AD and the Head Football Coach have "resigned" 'cause they knew the fabled sh##t was about to hit the fabled fan. Furthermore, they both were about to get what they deserved. If I were Steve Spurrier, I'd sue on the grounds that they left him holding the bag. No wonder Spurrier hasn't spoken to Granny since Granny's retirement. Thank God that bunch is gone. I've said it all along, we are not at a higher level thanks to Holtz. That's always been BS. I've tried to be courteous about that old sack of crap, but after this, the gloves are off. I know I'll get hammered by those that loved the old fart, but it just doesn't stop with that prick. What's next??? :mad:

[cocky4ever]

Yeah, I see your point, but 6 infractions that are considered serious??? You and I may think they're petty but the NCAA does not. Whatever happens, it sucks. Anyway you want to paint it. I think the AD and the Head Football Coach have "resigned" 'cause they knew the fabled sh##t was about to hit the fabled fan. Furthermore, they both were about to get what they deserved. If I were Steve Spurrier, I'd sue on the grounds that they left him holding the bag. No wonder Spurrier hasn't spoken to Granny since Granny's retirement. Thank God that bunch is gone. I've said it all along, we are not at a higher level thanks to Holtz. That's always been BS. I've tried to be courteous about that old sack of crap, but after this, the gloves are off. I know I'll get hammered by those that loved the old fart, but it just doesn't stop with that prick. What's next??? :mad:
Thats an interesting point that both the AD and Lou Holtz both leave and then all this crap comes up. I have thought about this a lot of different ways over the past few days and have thought about another interesting perspective. This is just a thought but follow me here:

The NCAA has been investigating SC for 3 years now. It started shortly after Lou Holtz came to SC. They probably knew long ago that there had been infractions committed by the staff at SC. However, since Lou Holtz is such a big name in college football, and the NCAA knew this would be his last stop, they figured they could wait a few years and come down on the new coach without hurting ole Lou Holtz, legend of college football. What they didnt anticipate is that Spurrier would be the new coach when Holtz left. Now they have to come down on another legendary coach. They cant just throw out the things they've discovered over the years so they have to go ahead and come out with all this stuff.

Maybe Im just looking too far into all of this crap. Hopefully I dont sound like some of the Bama fans who come up with all kinds of conspiracy theories about UT and what not. I probably didnt do a good job of explaining my thoughts on this matter, but oh well, its kinda late and Ive been drinking a little bit.

[GamecockDieHard]

I'll buy the part about waiting on Granny to leave before they dropped the hammer and not knowing who would be next. But as much as everyone hates Spurrier, I'd bet they smiled when he took the job, knowing they were about to tie an anchor around his neck. Have a drink for me.