The University of Oklahoma released a list of self-reported NCAA violations on Wednesday, and readers quickly realized two things: Pretty much EVERYTHING is an NCAA violation, and NCAA rules are absolutely insane. Here's a list of the violations committed by Oklahoma's football team:
Feb. 26, 2013
Violation: Assistant coaches Mike Stoops and Cale Gundy sent two text messages to recruits before written or financial commitment. Stoops responded to an incoming text with “Thanks.” Gundy replied to a text message instead of replying by Facebook message. A Facebook message would've been permissible. Resolution: The coaching staff was prohibited from initiating phone calls and written correspondence with the recruits for two weeks beginning Sept. 1. The staff was also provided detailed rules education.
March 9, 2013
Violation: A first-year, non-qualifying junior-college athlete attended a junior day event at the school, at the invitation of assistant coach Bill Bedenbaugh. Resolution: The department reduced the number of off-campus contacts with the recruit. The staff was given detailed rules education regarding unofficial visits and emphasized the importance of completing an unofficial visit request form before the invitation to campus. The NCAA also ruled the athlete ineligible at the school until restored by the NCAA.
June 2, 2013
Violation: Assistant coach Mike Stoops sent a text message to a recruit before his signing a National Letter of Intent, a written offer of admission or financial aid or receipt of a financial deposit. Stoops accidentally sent a return text while reviewing incoming text messages. Resolution: The football coaching staff was prohibited from initiating any contact with the recruit for two weeks beginning Dec. 15. The coaching staff was given rules education regarding text messages.
July 28, 2013
Violation: Assistant coach Cale Gundy and director of player personnel Reed Case exceeded permissible phone calls per week to a Tulsa player that decided to transfer to OU as a walk-on. Gundy and Case believed the calls were allowed because the transfer was already enrolled at the school for the fall. Resolution: The department provided additional rules education regarding telephone contact with recruits as well as transfers.
July 31, 2013
Violation: A student-athlete was awarded financial aid for a period of less than one academic year when the player wasn't on pace to graduate after the semester. The academic adviser did not notify the compliance department of the change in graduation status. Resolution: The player signed a revised financial aid agreement that included the spring semester and the academic services staff were given rules education.
Aug. 2, 2013
Violation: Assistant coach Jay Norvell made an impermissible phone call to a former Texas football player seeking to transfer to OU. Norvell called the player twice on Aug. 2. He believed he could initiate more than one phone call per week. The player eventually enrolled at Arizona. Resolution: The coaching staff was given rules education on the topic of transfers phone calls and recruiting.
Oct. 3, 2013
Violation: The football staff mailed an envelope to a recruit, who was already verbally committed, that included an image that was more than the school's name and logo. The envelope included a hand-drawn picture with the handwritten addressee information. Resolution: The coaching and administrative staffs were given rules education regarding permissible recruiting materials. Also, now all envelopes must be approved by the department before use.
...and the now-infamous "Pasta violation":
May 10, 2013
Violation: Three current student-athletes received food in excess of NCAA regulation at a graduation banquet. The three had graduated from the school but returned for an additional season of competition. The players were provided pasta in excess of the permissible amount allowed. Resolution: The three were required to donate $3.83 each (the cost of the pasta serving) to a charity of their choice in order to be reinstated. The department provided rules education to applicable athletics department staff members.
Former Sooners OT Gabe Ikard quickly claimed responsibility as one of the pasta eaters, but claimed the self-reported violation was slightly inaccurate:
@SportsCenter @AwesomeWoods_50 and I are proud to be 2 of these infamous pasta eaters. Also, we donated $5, not $3.83. #Boomer
— Gabe Ikard (@GabeIkard) February 19, 2014
We were served an extra pasta buffet at our student-athlete graduation banquet in May. So, we donated $5 to charity to be eligible to play.
— Gabe Ikard (@GabeIkard) February 19, 2014
Gotta love the NCAA (editor's note: you don't actually have to love the NCAA)
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