CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia student managers, graduate assistants and other noncoaching staff worked with football players on their skills and techniques in violation of NCAA limits during the Rich Rodriguez era and under current coach Bill Stewart, according to NCAA allegations released Thursday.
The NCAA said there were five major and one secondary rules violations committed by the Mountaineers football program from 2005-09.
The NCAA said Rodriguez and Stewart failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance. Similar allegations were leveled against Rodriguez during an earlier, separate investigation at Michigan, which in May admitted it had committed a series of violations related to practice time and coaching activities.
Rodriguez, who led West Virginia, his alma mater, to two Bowl Championship Series berths and a 60-26 record in seven seasons before taking over at Michigan in December 2007, said he has always taken compliance seriously and have “sincerely felt our program was open and transparent.”
Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said there will be no change in Rodriguez’s job status as a result of the announcement.
• Southern California cornerback T.J. Bryant had surgery on his left cheekbone after getting into a fight with teammate Stanley Havili last week. Bryant will be out for at least three weeks.
• Texas and Notre Dame agreed to a four-game series starting in 2015. The Longhorns are scheduled to play in South Bend, Ind., on Sept. 5, 2015. The Fighting Irish are slated to play in Austin on Sept. 3, 2016, and again Aug. 31, 2019. The Longhorns return to South Bend on Sept. 12, 2020.
• Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will host the Big Ten championship game in 2011.
Kansas’ Self addresses report
LAWRENCE, Kan. — In the wake of a report saying Kansas recruit Josh Selby might not be eligible, Jayhawks coach Bill Self said “it is not at all unusual” for the NCAA to look at some of the nation’s top recruits.
A report indicated the NCAA was questioning a relationship between Selby and Robert Frazier, the business manager for Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony.
“I will say, as we have experienced in the past in our program, it is not at all unusual for the NCAA to look into many of the country’s top-rated recruits each year for any number of reasons,” Self said.
Footnotes.
Guard Shannon Brown agreed to a two-year, $4.6 million deal to return for his third season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
• Steven Lenhart scored two goals to help the Columbus Crew win on the road for the first time in more than two months, beating the Philadelphia Union 2-1.
• Real Madrid playmaker Kaka has undergone knee surgery and will miss three to four months.
• Trainer Bob Baffert said Preakness and Haskell Invitational winner Lookin At Lucky came down with a fever this week and won’t run in the Travers on Aug. 28.
• World and Olympic champion Michael Phelps won the 100-meter butterfly at the U.S. national championships in Irvine, Calif., in 50.65 seconds — the fastest time in the world this year.
The Associated Press
