Chapman Acts on Violations, Forfeits Games

Moving aggressively in advance of possible NCAA sanctions, Chapman University President James L. Doti has decided to forfeit the football program’s five victories this season because it used two ineligible players.

Doti announced the unusual decision Tuesday evening, after coaches had told players at a practice earlier in the day.

The National Collegiate Athletic Assn. is investigating the small liberal arts college’s football program after The Times last week raised questions about the number of years the team’s star player, Darnell Morgan, played at Cerritos College before transferring to Chapman in 1994.

School officials discovered that Morgan and defensive back Malcolm King were playing their fifth year of college football--three at Chapman and two at previous colleges--in violation of NCAA rules that limit players to four years of eligibility.

The NCAA is expected to rule on sanctions in the coming weeks. But Chapman officials, in an apparent move to preempt severe penalties, decided to take its own action.

The NCAA looks at precedent in similar cases when determining penalties, and in 1994, Cal Lutheran in Thousand Oaks used an ineligible player in a victory, and NCAA officials ordered the game forfeited.

Doti’s decision to forfeit the victories comes two weeks after the president of an East Coast university made a controversial decision to forfeit a game.

In that case, University of Rhode Island President Robert Carothers essentially suspended all 72 members of his football team for one game after at least six players charged into a fraternity house and allegedly beat up three members.

He did it before any of the players were charged with a crime. The NCAA was stunned, saying that in its 90-year history, nobody had ever forfeited a game under similar circumstances.

Chapman officials have said that both players filled out eligibility forms before each season, but both believed they had been granted hardship waivers for injuries at previous schools. Morgan played two seasons at Cerritos College; King played at Cal State Fullerton and Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.

Chapman officials said they did not double-check the eligibility forms until Oct. 22, when The Times made inquiries about Morgan’s status.

But Doti said he does not blame the team’s coaches or the Athletic Department officials for the violations.

“Someone has to take responsibility, so I did,” he said.

Late last week, some Chapman players were clinging to hope that the Panthers wouldn’t have to forfeit their games. They had started the season with five consecutive victories and had moved into position to make the NCAA Division III playoffs if they could continue the streak.

But a 22-19 loss to La Verne on Saturday ended any playoff hopes, and Doti’s decision leaves Chapman’s record at 0-6.

Chapman football Coach Ken Visser said the team took the news about as well as could be expected. “This is disappointing, like all of the events that have occurred,” he said. “It is just one in a series. But they are a good bunch of men, and they’ve rallied every time. I think they’ll rally again.”

Robert Ernster, a senior defensive end, said the players were expecting the games to be forfeited all along. “It was over when we lost those guys,” Ernster said.

Said junior defensive back Atlas Helaire III: “I really feel bad for the seniors. They worked so hard, and now it ends like this. Everybody else will have another chance next year.”

Chapman plays at Occidental on Saturday, the first of three remaining games this season. Some players view those games as a chance to make a statement.

“It didn’t come at a good time,” Ernster said, “but there’s never a good time for something like this. All we can do is go out and start another winning streak.”