UCF Football, Basketball Teams Recieve One Year Postseason Ban

The University of Central Florida football and basketball programs have both been hit with a one-year postseason ban, according to ESPN’s Andy Katz.

The NCAA’s decision, which was announced earlier today (July 31), comes after an investigation into the UCF’s men’s basketball and football program revealed major recruiting infractions.

“According to the findings, the impermissible recruiting activity undertaken by these third parties, who through their activity became athletics representatives of UCF, was both known by athletics department personnel, and, in some cases encouraged,” NCAA officials said Tuesday in a statement. “Additionally, the representatives provided more than $16,000 to three prospects and two UCF student-athletes. Specifically, the representatives provided travel expenses, cash payments, tuition and a laptop computer.”

UCF’s football team went 5-7 (3-5 C-USA) last season. The Knights’ season will end Saturday, Nov. 24, against UAB. The Knights were a projected favorite to win the C-USA East Division but now aren’t eligible for the C-USA championship game.

Meanwhile, the basketball program at UCF is coming off a season in which they won 22 games, and went 10-6 in the conference. The Knights even earned an NIT bid last season. A postseason ban will certainly turn off any recruits who were on the fence about coming to UCF in the future.

In addition, ESPN points out that the one-year ban could allow UCF’s leading scorer Keith Clanton to leave immediately under NCAA rules. Clanton, who averaged 14.5 points a game, could transfer and play immediately if the postseason ban is equal to his remaining eligibility.

ESPN adds that senior Marcus Jordan (13.7 ppg), could leave and play somewhere else immediately, too.

Full details of the penalties can be found below:

• Public reprimand and censure.
• Five years probation from February 10, 2012, through February 9, 2017.
• Postseason ban for the 2012 football season and 2012-13 men’s basketball season.
• The head men’s basketball coach was suspended for the first three conference games of the 2011-12 season (self-imposed by the university) and given a three-year show-cause order starting with the 2012-13 season. Details of the show-cause orders can be found in the public report. Additionally, the coach may not recruit off-campus during all three July evaluation periods for the July 2012 and July 2013 evaluation periods.
• An assistant men’s basketball coach was suspended for the first two conference games of the 2011-12 season (self-imposed by the university). Additionally, the coach may not recruit off-campus during all three July evaluation periods for the July 2012 and July 2013 evaluation periods.
• A three-year show-cause order for the former director of athletics and a one-year show cause for the former assistant football coach. The show-cause orders do not allow any contact with prospective student-athletes. The public report contains further details. Disassociation of three representatives of athletics interest (self-imposed by the university).
• Reduction of five initial (from 25 maximum) and five total (from 85 maximum) football scholarships for three academic years.
• A limit of 11 men’s basketball scholarships (from 13 maximum) for three academic years. $50,000 fine.
• Vacation of all men’s basketball wins in which an ineligible student-athlete competed for the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. The public report includes further details (self-imposed by the university).
• Reduction of two full-time football coaches permitted to recruit off-campus during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.
• Reduction of one full-time men’s basketball coach permitted to recruit off-campus during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.
• Reduction in the available number of recruiting person days by 25 for men’s basketball during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years (self-imposed by the university).
• Reduction in the available number of recruiting person days by nine in the fall football evaluation period and 34 in the spring football evaluation period during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years (self-imposed by the university).
• Football official paid visits are limited to 30 for each of the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years. Men’s basketball official paid visits are limited to seven for each of the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years (self-imposed by the university).

via CBS Sports