ON THE SIDELINES : Howard ‘Corrects’ Football Program

Carlton P. Alexis, Howard University’s interim president, said the eligibility problems of the football team have been identified and will not happen again, it was reported today.

The comments by Alexis came following confirmation Tuesday by two former Howard football players that they played their fifth year of varsity competition in 1987 when the team won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football championship, the Washington Post reported.

“I have been led to believe we have corrected (procedures that will prevent) all possible future problems,” Alexis said. “But we will keep looking . . . to be sure those problems do not arise again.”

If there is evidence of at least one ineligible player, the school would be forced to forfeit its 1987 title and would be subject to NCAA sanctions.

NCAA officials told the newspaper Tuesday that an investigation of Howard has not started because it is awaiting the school’s own report of its problems before deciding further course of action.