NCAA Investigators Arrive, Begin Looking Into TCU Payment Scandal

NCAA investigators arrived on the Texas Christian University campus Wednesday to look into reports that as many as 29 players accepted money from alumni trying to beef up the school’s football program.

“It will be the shortest investigation in NCAA history,” former TCU regent Dick Lowe said, predicting the university will tell all to the investigators.

TCU turned itself in to the NCAA for inspection and suspended seven players, including All-American running back Kenneth Davis, who admitted taking money from boosters.

The investigators met Wednesday with TCU Coach Jim Wacker and TCU Athletic Director Frank Windegger. TCU spokesman Charlie Dierker said the NCAA has asked Wacker and Windegger not to comment on the investigation.

Wacker said Tuesday he expects the NCAA will put the school on probation following the investigation.

Wacker also said that Ron Zell Brewer, a backup tight end from Dallas, was the seventh player suspended from the team in the past five days for accepting money from boosters. Brewer, who was recruited by former TCU coach F.A. Dry in 1981, started for three years on defense before being redshirted in 1984 and switched to offense.

Lowe, who has admitted his role in the illegal recruiting, wrote a long resignation letter to TCU Chancellor William Tucker that cleared Wacker but implicated Dry, now an assistant coach at Baylor, in the payments.