All articles tagged with #football program
Florida State decided to retain head coach Mike Norvell for the rest of the season amid ongoing struggles, with debate over whether this was the right move given the financial costs and future prospects, as some argue firing now would be detrimental while others see it as necessary for rebuilding.
Michigan State has a top-10 athletic department, with new athletic director J Batt emphasizing the importance of football success and resource investment to improve the program and overall competitiveness, leveraging his extensive fundraising experience and previous success at Georgia Tech and other institutions.
Arizona State and four individuals from its football program have reached an agreement with the NCAA on recruiting violations, including impermissible in-person recruiting contacts during the COVID-19 dead period, inducements, tryouts, and tampering. The school accepted responsibility, self-imposed penalties, and disassociated an involved booster for five years. Penalties include four years of probation, a fine, a self-imposed postseason ban for 2023, vacation of records, scholarship reductions, and recruiting restrictions. The committee's final decision on remaining contested portions is pending.
The University of Michigan's football program has been placed under a three-year probation and other penalties by the NCAA for staff and recruiting violations, with specific penalties yet to be announced. Athletic director Warde Manuel expressed satisfaction with the resolution, stating that it allows the program to move forward. The violations included impermissible recruiting contacts and exceeding the number of allowed countable coaches. The resolution also involved an agreement regarding the former football head coach's failure to cooperate with the investigation, with potential violations and penalties for him still pending.
Missouri State's plans to move its football program to the FBS level are currently on hold as they focus on improving their facilities and elevating their football program to be competitive in their league. They are in need of funding for projects such as a new end zone facility, locker room, and weight room. Meanwhile, both North Dakota State and Missouri State are coming off losses and will face each other in a potentially pivotal game for their FCS playoff scenarios.
University of Georgia football coach Kirby Smart denies condoning sexual misconduct by his players and disputes a news report that claimed his program supports athletes accused of violence against women. Smart stated that he takes these allegations extremely seriously and does not tolerate sexual misconduct in the organization. The dispute arose from a recent article that highlighted cases where players remained on the team after women reported violent encounters. Smart dismissed one player accused of rape but allowed other players to appear on their teammate's behalf during a court hearing. The university officials challenged the accuracy of the news report and emphasized their strong policy on investigating allegations of sexual misconduct.
The University of Georgia has demanded a retraction from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) over an article that it claims contains errors, unsubstantiated allegations, and fabrications. The school disputes the article's assertion that the football program actively supports sexual misconduct and accuses the AJC of disregarding the truth and imposing a damaging narrative. The university says the article misrepresents the number of players identified and their alleged wrongdoings, and accuses the author of fabricating events. The school has requested a retraction and an admission of error from the AJC.
A former Northwestern football player has described "egregious and vile and inhumane" hazing rituals within the program, including instances of restraint and "dry-humping" in a dark locker room. The player alleged that head coach Pat Fitzgerald was aware of the hazing, citing signals he made during practices. Northwestern suspended Fitzgerald for two weeks without pay following an investigation, but stated that there was insufficient evidence to implicate him or the coaching staff. The allegations also included a ritual where freshmen had to duplicate a snap while naked.