NCAA botched Miami investigation in more ways than previously thought

The NCAA’s footing in the University of Miami investigation gets weaker and weaker, as the Miami Herald reports that even more unethical mistakes than previously believed were made by the organization as they attempted to unearth violations -- great news for the school as they try to get the case against them thrown out.

The NCAA has already admitted that it messed up in the Miami case. After unethical conduct was revealed -- mainly revolving around paying witness Nevin Shapiro’s lawyer and overstepping their subpoena boundaries -- the NCAA released a report on their missteps and the association fired its vice president of enforcement. However, they pressed on with the case.

But it appears there’s more. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that multiple sources have indicated that other, undisclosed inappropriate behavior in the investigation took place -- and that the school knows about it, and plans to use it to get the NCAA off their backs once and for all:

The NCAA investigator who took over the University of Miami case last May attempted, as her fired predecessor did, to use Nevin Shapiro’s attorney to help build a case against Miami -- a detail curiously omitted from the NCAA-commissioned report detailing the NCAA’s improper handling of the case, according to an email exchange between the parties that was relayed to me by two people.

Meanwhile, UM also will allege that NCAA investigators lied to interview subjects by claiming that other people interviewed made comments they never made, in order to trick the subjects into revealing incriminating information they otherwise might not, according to multiple officials familiar with the NCAA’s case against UM and former coaches.

UM believes such behavior is unethical. Both of these details will be included in UM’s motion to dismiss the case that will be submitted to the NCAA on Friday.

Jackson goes into extensive details about the alleged misconduct, but to summarize: Here we allegedly have have a) a continued instance of the exact same unethical behavior that cost one investigator their job, which the NCAA attempted to cover up and b) boldfaced lying to interviewees.

Impressive stuff by the NCAA. Miami will continue to argue they shouldn’t receive any punishment:

With with the vast amount of slip-ups by the NCAA and the fact they’ve already exempted themselves from two bowl seasons, they might have a point.

• Exclusive with Tommy Tuberville

• SB Nation reports Sun Belt expansion

• SB Nation’s Garnet & Black Attack interviews Marcus Lattimore

• SB Nation’s Maize n Brew interviews Denard Robinson

• College football’s most penalized teams and flag-happy refs

• What if March Madness had football ... | ... Or football had Madness