Oregon's Football Program Drama Ends with Slight Sanction from NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions

Back in 2010, questions surrounding a $25.000 payment to scouting service operator Willie Lyles and his Houston-based recruiting service, Complete Scouting Services hit the University of Oregon’s football program. But this week, less than a year after the Ducks were charged for violating the NCAA’s rules, the NCAA's Division I Committee on Infractions finally imposed a sanction and put the school’s football program on probation for three years.

The NCAA had been investigating Oregon's program for more than two years after learning that Oregon paid Lyles $25,000 for his recruiting service. Back in December, 2012, the NCAA's infractions committee found evidence that Lyles provided cash and free lodging to a prospect, and engaged in calls and off-campus contact with prospects, their families and high school coaches, which is impermissible according to the NCAA regulations. It also said the program exceeded its coaching limits by allowing staff members to engage in recruiting activities. While the list of sanctions may seem severe at first sight, the outcome is in fact this a great result for the Ducks. Tougher sanctions, including Bowl bans would mean losing years of preparation, TV and media exposure, and missing the chance to contend for the Pac-12 title.

Oregon, which according to anticipated college football odds is among the top candidates to win PAC-12 title and fight for a spot in the annual BCS National Championship title game, is schedule to open its season on Aug. 31 against Nicholls State. The first real test comes Oct. 12 at Washington. The Nov. 7 game at Stanford could decide the Pac-12 North champion. 

Under Kelly, the Ducks played four straight BCS bowl games. The Ducks finished the 2012 NCAA Football Season with a record of 12-1 last season. The team was invited to play the Fiesta Bowl, defeating Kansas State38-41 in  overtime.

The penalties announced Wednesday include public reprimand and censure, three years of probation (From June 26, 2013, through June 25, 2016), an 18-month show cause order for former head coach Chip Kelly, one-year show-cause order for the former assistant director of operations, a reduction of initial football scholarships by one from the maximum allowed (25) during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years (imposed by the university), a reduction of total football scholarships by one from the maximum allowed (85) during the 2012-13, 2013-14, and 2014-15 academic years (imposed by the university), a reduction of official paid football visits from 56 to 37 for the 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 academic years, a reduction of permissible football evaluation days from 42 to 36 in the fall of 2013, 2014 and 2015 and permissible football evaluation days from 168 to 144 in the spring of 2014, 2015 and 2016, a ban on the subscription to recruiting services during the probation period and a disassociation of the recruiting service provider (imposed by the university).

The NCAA's Division I Committee on Infractions released a report on Wednesday that said Kelly failed to monitor the program for its improper involvement with Willie Lyles and his Houston-based recruiting service. Kelly was hit with an 18-month show-cause order, a sanction that likely will have limited impact now that he's coaching the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite that fact, Kelly released a statement apologizing the school, its fans and it players.

''Now that the NCAA has concluded their investigation and penalized the University of Oregon and its football program, I want to apologize to the University of Oregon, all of its current and former players and their fans. I accept my share of responsibility for the actions that led to the penalties. As I have I stated before, the NCAA investigation and subsequent ruling had no impact on my decision to leave Oregon for Philadelphia. I have also maintained throughout that I had every intention to cooperate with the NCAA's investigation, which I did.'' Kelly said in a statement.

The Ducks were penalized in 2004 for improper recruitment of a junior college player by an assistant coach. The program was put in probation for a two year period and the unidentified assistant coach was suspended without pay and restricted from recruiting activities.