NCAA Deals Central Florida 1-Year Postseason Ban In Football And Men’s Basketball

The UCF football program has successfully appealed their NCAA bowl ban and will be postseason eligible in 2013, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The program accepted other penalties but appealed the bowl ban, arguing excessive punishment.

The appeal process began last year, which allowed the Knights to play in the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl this past January. Now they will be postseason eligible in their first season in a BCS conference, the American Athletic Conference (formerly the Big East).

The NCAA won’t rule on the University of Central Florida’s postseason ban appeal until late January, according to George O’Leary, which means the Knights will be eligible for the postseason (so long as they win one more game) and to compete for a Conference USA title.

If the postseason ban is upheld, UCF would have to sit out the postseason in 2013 -- its first year in the Big East. O’Leary:

The University of Central Florida has until Monday to appeal the one-year football postseason bowl ban imposed on them by the NCAA. And according to an ESPN report, it appears the university will do just that.

On July 31, in response to allegations and an investigation into improper recruiting tactics, the NCAA imposed penalties on both the men’s football and basketball programs. UCF has accepted their punishment in everything except football. But the risk far outweighs the reward for UCF should they fail in their appeal bid.

Despite the fact that his team will be serving a postseason ban, Central Florida star Keith Clanton has decided to finish his college career as a Knight.

Clanton originally announced his decision Saturday on Twitter.

University of Central Florida President Dr. John Hitt published a letter on UCF’s official website to announce that the school was appealing the one-year postseason ban on the football team. In the letter, Hitt explains his reasoning for appealing the postseason ban for that sport and not the basketball team.

UCF has asked the NCAA to rule quickly on this appeal so that they will be able to get a sense of closure to this situation. Hitt says that if the NCAA rejects the appeal, they will accept the final ruling and work hard with new athletic director Todd Stansbury to make UCF “a national model for compliance.”

Kenneth Caldwell, the sports agency representative at the center of the recruiting scandal which has resulted in Central Florida’s football and men’s basketball receiving a one-year postseason ban, has taken to Twitter to voice his displeasure over the NCAA’s ruling.

I’m no expert on dealing with the NCAA, but I’m not sure vague threats are the correct play here. Especially when the vague threats are being made by a twice convicted criminal.

—Public reprimand and censure.

—Five years probation from Feb. 10, 2012, through Feb. 9, 2017.

The NCAA has handed Central Florida a one-year postseason ban in football and men’s basketball. ESPN.com’s Andy Katz first reported the news on Twitter.

UCF was punished by the NCAA due to the relationship between several of its coaches and sports agency representative Ken Caldwell, who acted as a middle man between recruits and agents while simultaneously acting as a representative of the university and pushing recruits towards UCF. In addition to having connections to professional agents, Caldwell is a twice-convicted criminal.

The NCAA is set to announce its first ruling since the highly controversial Penn State sanctions, with the long-broiling investigation into Central Florida recruiting ready to culminate in an 11 a.m. ET announcement of punishments on Tuesday. And oh, what exciting timing for a future Big East member!

According to the allegations against UCF, a man by the name of Ken Caldwell acted as a middle man between recruits and agents while simultaneously acting as a representative of the university and pushing recruits towards UCF. In addition to having connections to professional agents, Caldwell is a twice-convicted criminal.

In response to the NCAA’s accusations of major recruiting violations in both men’s basketball and football, the University of Central Florida has self-imposed a number of recruiting restrictions and has voluntarily vacated victories. Prior to the school’s decision to impose penalties on itself, athletic director Keith Tribble resigned from his position at the school. Wide receivers coach David Kelly was also forced to resign, while head basketball coach Donnie Jones was suspended for three Conference USA games.

According to the allegations against UCF, a man by the name of Ken Caldwell acted as a middle man between recruits and agents while simultaneously acting as a representative of the university and pushing recruits towards UCF. In addition to having connections to professional agents, Caldwell is a twice-convicted criminal.

The University of Central Florida received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA detailing a number of violations. Amidst the wake of the allegations, UCF athletic director Keith Tribble resigned. UCF football wide receivers coach David Kelly also resigned and men’s basketball coach Donnie Jones was suspended for three conference games without pay as well. Tribble and Kelly were also cited for “unethical conduct” after meeting with NCAA investigators.

The NCAA alleged that a recruiter for a sports agency committed violations in both football and basketball recruiting, including paying tuition and travel expenses for both players and recruits. The NCAA alleges that Ken Caldwell and Brandon Bender, Caldwell identified as “a recruiter for a professional sports agency” by the NCAA. According to the allegations, Bender and Caldwell paid tuition and fees for UCF men’s basketball players, gave a laptop computer to a football recruit; and covered transportation expenses for men’s basketball recruits. The NCAA also states that Tribble, Kelly, and Jones were aware of the contact of their players and recruits by Bender and Caldwell.

UCF has accepted the resignation of Athletic Director Keith Tribble amid a NCAA investigation into the recruiting practices of the football and men’s basketball teams. The news was announced by school president John Hitt during a Wednesday press conference.

Hitt said he had accepted resignation of wide receivers coach David Kelly and that men’s basketball coach Donnie Jones had been suspended for three games. Head football coach George O’Leary was not punished, and Hitt said that he had participated fully with NCAA investigators.

Remember: UCF is based in Orlando, which is also home to the Orlando Sentin- OK, yep. You got it.

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