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Rutgers responds to NCAA, recommends self-imposed sanctions

Sam Cooper
·College football writer
(Getty)
(Getty)

Rutgers has issued its formal response to the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations from December.

In that Notice of Allegations, the NCAA detailed seven violations it says the Scarlet Knights football program committed. On Thursday, the university said in its response it “agrees with the vast majority of the allegations as they have been charged.”

As a result, the school is recommending a series of self-imposed sanctions, including one year of probation, a $5,000 fine and a reduction in off-campus recruiting opportunities by the coaching staff. The school also proposed limiting official visits for prospective football student-athletes and a “prohibition on initiating permissible telephone calls, contact via social media and written correspondence” with football recruits for a “one-week period” of the 2017-18 academic year.

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The allegations include fired head coach Kyle Flood’s communications with an academic staff member regarding the academic eligibility of one of his players, a hostess program and “inconsistencies” with the athletic department’s drug testing policies. Overall, the case has been deemed Level II by the NCAA, the second-most serious designation.

As it said when it received the Notice of Allegations in December, Rutgers has taken steps to remedy the previously present issues in the football program, including the decision to fire Flood and athletic director Julie Hermann. The school has since hired former Ohio State assistant Chris Ash as head coach and Pat Hobbs as athletic director. It also “revamped and adopted a new comprehensive drug-testing policy and program,” beefed up its compliance staff and implemented a “robust rules-education program.”

“Rutgers has taken full responsibility for violations of NCAA bylaws and has taken corrective measures to enhance all aspects of our compliance programs. We look forward to meeting with the NCAA Committee on Infractions and the ultimate resolution of this matter,” the school said.

The NCAA now has 60 days to respond to Rutgers.

For more Rutgers news, visit ScarletNation.com.

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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!