Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel is sinking into quicksand following accusations about his behavior during a recent NCAA investigation into the Big Ten's premier program.
The governing body of college athletics has accused the veteran coach of withholding information and lying to keep five key Buckeyes players - among them quarterback Terrelle Pryor, running backDan Herron and wide receiver DeVier Posey - on the field after they accepted improper benefits from an owner of a local tattoo parlor.
In a notice of allegations sent to the school yesterday, the NCAA said violations relating to the coach are considered "potential major violations." Ohio State was not cited for the most serious institutional breaches since Tressel - who has dominated the Big Ten and is reportedly making $5.5 million per year - hid information from his superiors for more than nine months. The school has 90 days to respond before the committee of infractions meets Aug. 12 inIndianapolis.
In a 13-page indictment of Tressel's behavior, the NCAA charged he had "permitted football student-athletes to participate while ineligible" and said he was lying when he filled out a compliance form in September that said he had no knowledge of any violations by any of his players.
Lying to NCAA investigators is the ultimate sin in college sports. There is a growing feeling that Tressel should be fired and that Ohio State should be forced to forfeit any games in which ineligible players participated.
Just ask Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl, who was fired in March in the wake of his admission he gave false information to the NCAA regarding a cookout at his home attended by high school juniors. Pearl was suspended from coaching his team's first eight SEC games, and he and his staff were hit with $1.5 million in salary reduction over a five-year period. Just four days after a tearful apology, Pearl was charged with a violation of the NCAA bump rule for speaking with a high school junior.
Tressel's troubles began last summer when he was informed in an email fromColumbus lawyer Chris Cicero, a former Ohio State walk-on, that a federal agency had raided the house of tattoo owner Eddie Rife and discovered Ohio State memorabilia given to Buckeye players for beating their archrival Michigan.
Tressel chose not to notify Ohio State. Last September, he even signed and dated a mandatory compliance form that clearly asked if he had any knowledge of any NCAA violations.When Tressel ended up conceding he was covering up his own knowledge of the players' violations, he was ultimately given a five-game suspension and a $250,000 fine.
The governing body of college athletics has accused the veteran coach of withholding information and lying to keep five key Buckeyes players - among them quarterback Terrelle Pryor, running backDan Herron and wide receiver DeVier Posey - on the field after they accepted improper benefits from an owner of a local tattoo parlor.
In a notice of allegations sent to the school yesterday, the NCAA said violations relating to the coach are considered "potential major violations." Ohio State was not cited for the most serious institutional breaches since Tressel - who has dominated the Big Ten and is reportedly making $5.5 million per year - hid information from his superiors for more than nine months. The school has 90 days to respond before the committee of infractions meets Aug. 12 inIndianapolis.
In a 13-page indictment of Tressel's behavior, the NCAA charged he had "permitted football student-athletes to participate while ineligible" and said he was lying when he filled out a compliance form in September that said he had no knowledge of any violations by any of his players.
Lying to NCAA investigators is the ultimate sin in college sports. There is a growing feeling that Tressel should be fired and that Ohio State should be forced to forfeit any games in which ineligible players participated.
Just ask Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl, who was fired in March in the wake of his admission he gave false information to the NCAA regarding a cookout at his home attended by high school juniors. Pearl was suspended from coaching his team's first eight SEC games, and he and his staff were hit with $1.5 million in salary reduction over a five-year period. Just four days after a tearful apology, Pearl was charged with a violation of the NCAA bump rule for speaking with a high school junior.
Tressel chose not to notify Ohio State. Last September, he even signed and dated a mandatory compliance form that clearly asked if he had any knowledge of any NCAA violations.When Tressel ended up conceding he was covering up his own knowledge of the players' violations, he was ultimately given a five-game suspension and a $250,000 fine.
