SMU Banned From Playing Football in ’87

Citing evidence of a slush fund to pay players, the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. has levied its most severe penalties ever against a major college football program, suspending Southern Methodist University for the 1987 season.

According to the sanctions, revealed during a Wednesday press conference at SMU’s student center, the Mustangs may resume playing football in the fall of 1988. But their schedule for that season has been reduced from 11 games to 7, all away from home.

Other restrictions placed upon SMU by the NCAA, including a significant reduction in the number of football scholarships the university may offer during the next two years, are expected to limit the Mustangs’ ability to compete with other Division I-A schools for several years.

The NCAA’s decision, however, fell short of the maximum sentence established in Section 7-(D) of the enforcement procedures, the so-called “death penalty.”

The Mustangs could have been suspended for two years under the rule, which applies to universities found guilty of committing major rules violations less than five years after receiving sanctions for prior violations.

Since the rule was passed in June 1985 at an NCAA special convention, SMU was the first repeat offender to appear before the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions.

After discovering 36 violations in the football program, the NCAA placed the Mustangs on probation for three years in August 1985.

This is the seventh time since 1958 that SMU has been on probation, an NCAA record not listed in the press brochure along with those set on the field by former SMU All-Americans such as Doak Walker, Kyle Rote, Don Meredith and Eric Dickerson.

SMU has fielded a team every year since 1915, appearing in 11 postseason games, including the 1936 Rose Bowl.

The Mustangs won at least 10 games in each of four seasons between 1981 and 1984 and were ranked No. 2 with an 11-0-1 record in 1982.

But as Meredith might say, “Turn out the lights; the party’s over.”

In its report, the Infractions Committee said: “Not only is Southern Methodist University a repeat major violator, but its past record of violations is nothing short of abysmal.

“These violations and additional past infractions cases demonstrated that numerous individuals associated with the university’s athletics program, including key staff members and outside representatives, have been committed to achieving athletics success through deliberate and flagrant violations of fundamental NCAA rules.”

The NCAA’s director of enforcement, David Berst, said the penalties might have been more severe if SMU officials had not cooperated with the NCAA investigation.

He said the NCAA would not have been able to prove the existence of the slush fund without evidence presented by SMU.

William B. Stallcup, SMU’s interim president, said the university will not appeal.

“The temporary loss of football will be a bitter outcome for some,” he said.

“But, as a university, we accept it, knowing that, in our recent dealings with the football program and the NCAA, we have done what is right and that we have conducted ourselves in a manner befitting our university.”

When appearing before the Infractions Committee 13 days ago in Coronado, Calif., Stallcup and Lonnie D. Kliever, SMU’s faculty athletic representative, recommended punishment that was significantly less severe.

Besides a reduction in the size of the coaching staff and the number of scholarships that could be offered, they suggested the elimination of two non-conference games during each of the next two seasons.

As a member of the Southwest Conference, SMU regularly plays eight games against other members and three games against teams outside the conference, although only two non-conference games had been officially scheduled in each of the next two seasons.

The NCAA’s enforcement staff’s recommendations varied only in that they stipulated the Mustangs should be prevented from playing any non-conference games during the next two seasons.

But the six-member Infractions Committee, chaired by Dr. Frank Remington of the University of Wisconsin, delivered a decision that stunned many who were affected.

Berst indicated that the Infractions Committee also delivered a message to other universities.

“The Infractions Committee takes very seriously the position prescribed by the NCAA,” he said, referring to the 1985 death-penalty legislation.

“I think this action has some deterrent value for institutions inclined to follow the example of SMU.”

Besides the suspension for the 1987 season and the reduced schedule in 1988, sanctions against SMU include:

--No football practice, except for conditioning programs, until the spring of 1988.

--A reduction in the coaching staff to a head coach and five full-time assistants. Other Division I-A universities are allowed eight full-time assistants.

--No football scholarships for the 1987-88 academic year, 15 for 1988-89. The NCAA recently adopted a rule allowing universities 25 scholarships a year, down from 30 in recent years.

--No off-campus recruiting until Aug. 1, 1988, one month before the Mustangs resume playing. No prospective players will be allowed to visit the campus at the university’s expense until the beginning of the 1988-89 academic year.

“The present administration of the university has expressed its hope for a new beginning in athletics,” the Infractions Committee’s report said.

“Canceling the football season in 1987 will afford an opportunity for the university to start a new football program based on integrity and fair play, rather than on wrongdoing and deception.”

Berst delivered the decision to SMU officials Tuesday. It was announced at Wednesday’s news conference, which was televised live by Dallas’ CBS affiliate.

On a gloomy, rainy morning, the SMU players who have eligibility remaining were summoned to the football offices at Ownby Stadium to watch the proceedings on closed-circuit television.

The 52 players on scholarships learned that their scholarships will be honored at SMU but that they also are free to transfer to other universities and play next season. Under normal circumstances, transfer students are ineligible for one year before they can resume playing.

Jeffrey Jacobs, a junior wide receiver from Dallas, said he believes as many as 30 of the players will transfer.

Compounding the drama of Wednesday morning’s announcement, moments after Berst read the Infractions Committee’s report to about 100 members of the media, he staggered to the door and passed out.

Stallcup explained that Berst had complained of flu symptoms.

As Stallcup read a prepared statement, he was interrupted by the siren of an approaching ambulance.

But after an examination by paramedics, Berst returned to the auditorium.

“It’s more embarrassing to me than anything else,” Berst said.

Then, turning to Stallcup and Kliever, he said: “You may even have enjoyed that.”

That was disputed by Kliever, who said: “That’s a quick and easy way to get out of answering questions.”

Kliever, a professor of religious studies, said he was “deeply embarrassed and regretful” about the notoriety the football program has brought to SMU.

As for the university’s decision to cooperate with the NCAA, Kliever said: “We wanted to undercut any temptation to place the blame on the NCAA for our problems. We wanted no cries of investigative harassment or selective enforcement to cloud the issue of blame or credit. We wanted to take the responsibility for correcting as well as reporting our problems.”

University officials were less contrite following the announcement of probation in 1985, when they threatened legal action against the NCAA.

Under the terms of that penalty, the Mustangs lost television and bowl appearances for two years as well as all 30 of their scholarships in 1986 and 15 in 1987.

Athletic department officials also were ordered to police the activities of nine prominent boosters, who allegedly were involved in the violations.

That was August 1985.

One month later, according to the investigation, one of the boosters, who has not been identified, resumed payments to 13 football players.

The payments, made between September 1985 and December 1986, ranged from $50 to $725. The payments reportedly were funneled through an athletic department official with the knowledge of other staff members.

“Certain key athletic department staff members agreed that promises made to student athletes prior to the 1984-85 academic year during the young men’s recruitment should continue to be fulfilled,” the Infractions Committee’s report said.

“Previous cash payments to the student-athletes had gone undetected by the NCAA, and the involved staff members agreed to continue the payments and to distribute them to the young men. It was understood that such payments would not be made to new student-athletes.”

Stallcup would not identify the staff members involved, saying they had been granted anonymity in return for information that could be presented to NCAA investigators.

Head Coach Bobby Collins and Athletic Director Bob Hitch resigned in December.

University President Donald Shields had previously resigned, citing ill health.

Stallcup, who has replaced Shields on an interim basis, said a committee has been formed to study the future of SMU’s football program and whether it will continue in Division I-A.

SMU’s board of governors previously announced the end of a special admissions program for athletes. Instead of receiving special treatment, athletes will have to meet the same standards as other students to enroll in the university.

“I find outrage in the community, inside and outside SMU, that we have allowed this to happen and that it has continued since two years ago,” Stallcup said.

“The attitude is, ‘Get your problems solved and then take steps to assure it doesn’t happen again.’

“As for what we’ll have to do to achieve that, who knows?”

THE PENALTIES

NCAA’S ACTION AGAINST SMU FOOTBALL PROGRAM WEDNESDAY:

Schedule: SMU is banned from playing football in 1987 and limited to a restricted 1988 schedule. SMU can play only seven Southwest Conference games in 1988--none at home. SMU loses non-conference games against Oklahoma and New Mexico in 1987 and against Oklahoma and Notre Dame in 1988 at an estimated cost to the school of more than $500,000.

TV, Bowl Games: SMU is barred from television and bowl appearances in 1988.

Probation: The probation, SMU’s seventh since 1958 and the third this decade, lasts until 1990.

Coaches: SMU is limited to a head football coach and five full-time assistant coaches until August 1989. It usually has eight assistant coaches.

Scholarships, Recruiting: SMU can award no scholarships in 1987 and only 15 in 1988. SMU normally awards 25 scholarships a year. Off-campus recruiting is prohibited until August 1988. SMU’s 52 scholarship football players are free to transfer immediately to other schools without loss of eligibility.