NCAA Pulls TV Plug on Sooners, Puts Lid on Bowls for 2 Years

Oklahoma’s football program today was placed on three years’ probation, a penalty that might have been less if some people involved in the violations weren’t still at the school, the NCAA said.

Players reacted with surprise at the severity of NCAA sanctions, which place Oklahoma on probation for three years, bar the Sooners from bowl appearances for the next two years and keep them off television next season.

Houston also was put on three years’ probation on Friday, with no bowl appearances for two years and no telecasts next season. Houston reportedly had more than 250 NCAA violations, while Oklahoma had 20.

“There are more violations in the Houston case,” David Berst, director of enforcement for the NCAA said today. “But one of the significant differences is that the violations at Houston involve people who are not there. The Oklahoma case does involve the people currently associated with the staff, and it involves some serious violations.”

Oklahoma officials scheduled an afternoon news conference to respond to the penalties.

The sanctions also include cuts in the number of recruits Oklahoma can sign in the next two seasons, cuts in the number of paid visits recruits can make to the Norman campus and a reduction in the number of full-time coaches who can recruit off-campus next season.

Oklahoma, under coach Barry Switzer, went 9-2 this season to finish its regular schedule ranked 10th. The Sooners will play Clemson in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 2.

The Oklahoma State football program also is awaiting NCAA sanctions, and speculation has been that the Cowboys’ infractions were more severe than those of Oklahoma.

Berst said he would try, “if physically possible,” to release sanctions against Oklahoma State by Friday.

In its letter detailing the sanctions, the NCAA asked Oklahoma to show cause why it should not be penalized further if it fails to discipline two assistant football coaches and the former recruiting coordinator, and fails to disassociate itself from a booster.

The assistants and the booster were not identified, although The Daily Oklahoman reported today that the coaches are Mike Jones and Scott Hill.