The recent sanctions handed down by the NCAA on Syracuse were far-reaching and extensive, but how do they compare to other recent, high-profile cases?
Citing violations dating back to 2001 (violations, it should be noted, that the sports department self-reported), Syracuse men’s basketball lost 12 scholarships over the next four years, saw its head coach, Jim Boeheim, suspended the first nine ACC games of next season, was forced to vacate 200 games (including 108 wins), was fined $500 per game played by ineligible players, among other penalties. Whether the penalties were too harsh or too lenient is debatable, but were they in line with other recent scandals?
Miami
Any NCAA cheating scandal recap should start with Miami. When you have to start with the question, “Which scandal?”, it’s not a good sign. In 2013, the University of Miami’s football and men’s basketball programs were sanctioned for rules violations (improper benefits) that occurred between 2002-2010. The investigation centered around booster Nevin Shapiro who claimed to give an estimated $2 million in benefits to 72 athletes and coaches between 2002-2010. The result was the entire athletic department was given three years probation; the football team lost nine scholarships total through 2016; basketball lost one scholarship each season through 2016-17; former head coach Frank Haith was suspended five games of the 2013-14 season.
Penn State
The Jerry Sandusky molestation case lead to harsh NCAA sanctions against the football program. In 2012, PSU agreed to a four-year bowl ban in exchange for avoiding a potential “death penalty” verdict of a complete ban from play (according to school president Rodney Erickson). It was also fined $60 million, vacated wins from 1998-2011 and had its scholarships reduced by 10 each season for four years.
USC
It’s rare for a school’s women’s tennis program to be included in an NCAA cheating scandal, but the University of Southern California found a way. Sure, Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush and NBA first rounder OJ Mayo were the headliners in the investigation (they accepted gifts from agents), but the women’s tennis team was also cited by the NCAA for unauthorized phone calls by a former player. (You have to love the NCAA.) The Trojans football program lost its 2004 national championship, was banned from bowl games in 2010-2011 and lost 30 scholarships over three years. The basketball program lost its wins from 2007-2008 and was banned from postseason play in 2010.
Michigan
Michigan’s Fab Five revolutionized college basketball with its swagger and fashion, and ushered in an era that saw coaches realize they could win with freshmen and sophomores. It also never really existed, according to the NCAA and the University of Michigan. The scandal involved a booster named Ed Martin and four eventual NBA players (including the Fab Five’s Chris Webber), and the investigation was handled by the university, which (like Syracuse) reported its violations to the NCAA. The result? Four years of probation, two years of a postseason ban, the vacating of numerous wins and titles (including the two NCAA Final Four appearances made by Webber and company) and more.