There has been plenty of talk about making major changes in the way NCAA handles violations, and on Wednesday in Las Vegas, Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson said it’s time for action.
Thompson addressed the media at the Red Rock Resort and did not hold back when discussing the recent spate of college football teams drawing the eye of the NCAA’s investigators. The commissioner said what is being done is not enough.
He cited investigations of Oregon and Ohio State, both BCS teams last year. In Ohio State’s case, players received suspensions for part of the 2011 season last December, but were allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl.
“It’s frustrating, borderline disgusting that institutions who cheat are able to win at that level and not pay a price,” Thompson said. “There have got to be debilitating sanctions.”
While it should be noted he also said the list now “unfortunately” includes Boise State, Thompson did make a note that he is striving for timely decisions on secondary violations like those of the Broncos, and not drawing out major investigations like at Ohio State or USC in recent years.
Thompson also noted a bit of a correlation between winning on the game’s biggest stage, and being in hot water with the NCAA. He noted that 45 percent of the schools that have won national championships in the BCS era have wound up with major violations.
“Five of those 11 institutions have since gone on to commit major infractions and go on probation,” Thompson said. “That’s appalling. I don’t know if the ‘death penalty’ is the right process … but we do need to get stronger enforcement policies and make it a real penalty versus just a speed bump, so to speak.”
The NCAA has only issued the so-called “death penalty” once, when it prevented SMU from fielding a team in 1987. The damage from that is still being felt by the Mustangs, who did not make a bowl again until 2009.
Representatives from all conferences will gather in August, the increase of athletic budgets (up 124 percent in 11 years in the MWC) and the “antiquated” penalizing process will be discussed.
“Hopefully through this retreat next month, we can start changing, completely overhauling the process,” Thompson said.
Also of note, Thompson discussed the conference’s television deal, and among the interesting tidbits was him saying “If I was a Dish (Network) subscriber, I’d cancel” after mentioning the satellite carrier will not carry The Mtn. He also said schools will receive a bit more than $1.4 million this year from the deal.
Thompson also said the Hawaii Bowl will likely have a Mountain West tie-in when Hawaii joins as a football-playing member in 2012. The conference will gain an additional bowl with the three schools that will join (Hawaii, Fresno State and Nevada). That means the Humanitarian Bowl will likely maintain its presence with the Western Athletic Conference.
As a service academy, Air Force’s consistent winning ways are impressive.
Consider the recruiting disadvantages, with the Falcons’ high academic standards and military commitment. There’s also the fact cadets will often do leadership or flight training in the summer. Receiver/kick returner Jonathan Warzeka said his entire team is on campus together for the first time since May. Players have to do workouts with only two dozen or so others at times, compared to say, Boise State, which will have 80 or more on campus through the summer.
“It makes fall practices pretty intense,” defensive lineman Zach Payne said. “You’ve got a lot of film work, meetings, trying to get on the same page. Luckily, we recruit some smart guys, so we have quick learners.”
The Falcons were picked third in the preseason MWC poll and have won eight or more games the past four seasons.
The big news Tuesday seemed to be that the Boise State football team wouldn’t be able to wear all blue uniforms for Mountain West Conference games at Bronco Stadium.
On Wednesday, media had a chance to sit down with players, and the Broncos two players in Las Vegas weighed in on the whole uniform matter.
Quarterback Kellen Moore was a little more pointed with his comments on the whole argument that it is hard to see Boise State players when they wear the same color uniform as their field turf.
“I could not see my receivers,” Moore deadpanned. “I guess if people are really concerned about it, we got them right where we want them.
Moore said the whole uniform issue is out of Boise State’s control — the school joined the Mountain West knowing this would be the case — and the team will figure out some combinations of uniforms to wear on the blue.
© 2011 Idaho Press-Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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