COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NATION : Miami Admits to Lesser Violations

Miami publicly admitted guilt on six of 10 NCAA charges but denied the most damning allegation--lack of institutional control.

School officials will attend a hearing Nov. 10 before the NCAA infractions committee to discuss institutional control and three other allegations. Sanctions likely will be announced by the end of December.

“There is a relief,” Athletic Director Paul Dee said, “in that we’re finally going to get to the end of this, we hope.”

Probation could include a ban on bowl games and TV appearances for one or more years, as well as scholarship reductions.

At a news conference, the university released a summary of the 10 NCAA charges. Three involve a Pell Grant scandal that prompted a federal investigation and led to the conviction of former university academic adviser Tony Russell, who admitted falsifying the Pell Grant applications of 91 students, including 85 athletes.

The NCAA, which began its investigation four years ago, alleges a lack of institutional control made the financial fraud possible.

“That is the allegation that carries with it the most likely heavy penalty,” university President Edward Foote said. “Our position is that there was extensive wrongdoing with the Pell Grants, but it was orchestrated by one employee who has admitted that he did it and who is long since gone. We know of no other representative of this institution who was involved in any respect.

“Our position is that is not a lack of institutional control.”

Russell has said repeatedly he acted without the knowledge of anyone at the university.

The school also denies rap star Luther Campbell’s special treatment of football players constituted an NCAA violation, saying Campbell wasn’t affiliated with the school as a booster or season-ticket holder.

Miami admits violating NCAA rules by failing to follow its own drug-testing policies. The school also acknowledges a play-for-pay scheme involving at least one former football player, inaccurate room and board calculations and excessive distribution of books to athletes.

Foote and Dee declined to speculate on the severity of sanctions.

*

Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne cut short a news conference because he resented a question about star running back Lawrence Phillips.

Phillips was suspended seven weeks ago for attacking his former girlfriend and has since been reinstated.

The question put to Osborne came from a CBS television reporter: “If one of your players had roughed up a member of your family and had dragged her down a flight of steps, would you have reinstated that player on the team?”

Osborne declined to answer on camera. He told the reporter in the hall outside the interview room the answer would have been yes.

The story is expected to air Friday, a day before Phillips is expected to play for the first time in two months.