Representatives of the Central Florida Knights meet today with NCAA Committee on Infractions. The university, which will join the Big East Conference in 2013, is being investigated for recruiting violations in football and basketball.
According to the Orlando Sentinel:
The NCAA first began investigating UCF recruiting practices a year ago. Its investigators allege Chicago resident Ken Caldwell, who mentored a variety of football and basketball high school athletes, was working with a professional agent and helped steer recruits to UCF. Investigators determined Caldwell provided 11 football and men's basketball recruits $16,005.74 worth of benefits starting in March 2009.
The program hopes to learn its fate, particularly whether its self-imposed sanctions will satisfy the committee. According to a report those include:
Three years of probation, the vacation of all men’s basketball victories for 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11, reducing its scholarships by one each of the next two years in basketball, and the reduction of recruiting days by both basketball and football coaches.
In other Big East news ...
Interest in Syracuse Orange defensive end Chandler Jones is climbing as the NFL draft approaches. He is not ahead yet in the BECB poll of the first Big East player to be drafted.
The Louisville Cardinals football recruiting success continues with the 2013 addition of a tight end from Ohio.
Our friends over at Cardiac Hill take a look at the competition to back up Pittsburgh Panthers starting quarterback Tino Sunseri.
Stay tuned to Big East Coast Bias for news and commentary – without apology – on Big East Conference basketball and football.