So, the question is . . . must Oregon now suspend Lyles-associated recruits rather than face possible forfeits if they are ruled ineligible?
Seriously, this just got worse. My take is this: University of Oregon's press releases, claiming no wrong doing, even if found to be untrue, aren't relevant to the NCAA, (officially there is still no investigation). The NCAA is talking to Oregon, and the lawyer the Ducks hired to protect themselves. We don't know what Chip has told the NCAA. I know it looks like a coverup, but, perhaps the NCAA directed Kelly to have Lyles justify his fee. ( just hoping on this one) We don't know what Lyles told the NCAA. Who knows how relevant this press interview is to the NCAA. If the worst is found to be true, unless Chip Kelly lied to the NCAA he will survive this. Oregon will face penalties, but won't be hammered. If he lied, the University will fire him, (I hear Mike Bellotti is looking for a job), and Oregon will face penalties, but won't be hammered.
Damn can you imagine 2 of the best coaches in the NCAA getting terminated less than 6 months apart for lying to the NCAA?
I was in Tx. a couple weeks ago talking with a College Football Coach. He was saying how you'll see schools appeal a ruling, but never take the NCAA to court. When the NCAA has everything (Names, Dates, Places, etc.), you're dead in the water. Its fun to get a College Coaches take on this.
USC got hammered because one of their players got impermissive benefits from an agent... you could say they should have gone light on USC because that was between the agent and the player, and USC didn't do anything wrong. but the NCAA hammered USC because they knew or should have known about it what you have here with Oregon is much worse, so i don't see Oregon getting a lighter punishment than USC got (and it's not like they destroyed USC's program, they just took away some scholarships and wouldn't let them play in bowl games for two years). a similar thing happened to Auburn in the 90's: they got a two-year bowl ban, a one-year television ban and lost 13 scholarships over a four-year period... and that didn't destroy their program but yeah, if you are using "hammered" to mean a "death penalty" like SMU got in the 80's, yeah, i wouldn't worry about the NCAA hammering Oregon that bad, what SMU did was much worse
The chief lawyer Oregon hired to represent them has a "method of operation". He uncovers everything. Then he sacrifices the guilty, in exchange for a lighter punishment against the University. USC fought the NCAA every step of the way, I think they were punished for that as much as anything else.
It's going to be interesting that is for sure. I do hope if they do find something, they take it easy on Oregon since they are being proactive. I want to see the best football game possible in Arlington, so let's hope this all gets cleared up.
how is Oregon being proactive to you? they've done nothing but deny they did anything wrong and they are still denying they did anything wrong. if they were smart, they'd at least just do the "no comment" or "talk to my lawyer" thing, but no, Oregon keeps coming out and saying "We did not do anything wrong," even in that new article.
