The NCAA rejected the university’s appeal Tuesday of sanctions placed on the 2007 football team, ending a two-year investigation.
The ruling forces ACU to vacate all 10 wins from the 2007 season, and erase two players’ statistics from the books for that season. The NCAA’s report did not name the two players, and the university also has denied to release the names. The football program also will be forced to vacate its first playoff victory since moving to Division II. The ruling will not affect ACU’s perfect 2008 regular season.
Jared Mosley, athletic director and compliance coordinator, expressed his dissatisfaction with Tuesday’s ruling but made it clear the university will move on.
“I guess we were holding out a little bit of hope for a different outcome,” Mosley said. “We knew what was in front of us. We are going to move forward and continue to build on what we are working on.”
In February, the NCAA placed sanctions on the track and field program and the 2007 football team, after the university self-reported the violations. Later that month school officials presented an appeal to the NCAA Division II Infractions Appeal Subcommittee claiming that the football sanctions were excessive.
Mosley stated that although he was disappointed by the nullification of 10 wins, he felt worse that the unnamed players would lose their statistics. Head Football Coach Chris Thomsen echoed Mosley’s sentiments.
“The thing I feel worst about is for the players,” Thomsen said. “They did nothing wrong, they were just following our lead.
Thomsen acknowledged that the violations took place; however, he and Mosley contend that the infractions were not intentional as the NCAA ruled, declaring the penalties “excessive.” During the appeal process, university attorneys pointed to similar cases in which the NCAA ruled in favor of the university in question, but to no avail. An unnamed coach involved in the infractions was never interviewed by the committee. Coach Thomsen also noted that he was never questioned about the academic violations for which the university was sanctioned, and felt he should at least “have a say.”
Both Coach Thomsen and Jared Mosley said the athletic program has emerged from the two-year process a better institution. The school is already enforcing self-imposed sanctions that aim to prevent any future violations.
“We’ve been enforcing these [sanctions] since day one. The only thing we held back on was vacating the wins,” Mosley said. “We are in a better place having been through this.
Former ACU standout and current Cincinnati Bengal’s prospect Bernard Scott played an integral part of the 2007 team, whose 10 wins will be erased from the record books. Scott, who was selected in the 6th round of this year’s NFL draft, was surprised by the NCAA’s decision, but has complete confidence in the ACU football program.
“I’m surprised with the decision. I had no idea that any of this was going on when it first came out,” Scott said. “I think the program will get over it. ACU has a lot of great coaches and is a great school.”
Scott’s confidence in ACU coaches was reiterated by Mosley. Mosley and the athletic department have put their support behind the football program, with hopes for success in 2009.
“We have full confidence in our football staff,” Mosley said. “They have our full support moving forward.
