NCAA to decide on penalizing Alabama football
Associated Press

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The NCAA will announce its sanctions against the Alabama football program, led by former TCU football head coach Dennis Franchione, today after a nearly two-year probe that included allegations of payments to prep stars.

The university is accused of 11 major violations and five minor charges, but has contested the two most publicized charges involving five-figure payments to land two recruits.

The NCAA can accept or add to sanctions Alabama self-imposed in December, including 15 scholarship cuts over three years and breaking ties to three boosters.

Athletic department spokesman Larry White said Thursday that university officials could not comment on the NCAA's findings.

“The only thing we're acknowledging is we have received it and there will be a teleconference (Friday) at 1 p.m.,” White said.

He said the NCAA faxed a copy of the report to university President Andrew Sorensen on Thursday.

The school-imposed punishments did not include giving up a postseason bowl or a ban on playing on television.

The NCAA began investigating Alabama in April of 2000 for alleged violations that occurred mostly under former coach Mike DuBose, who was not charged with wrongdoing.

None of the allegations involve current coach Franchione or his staff. Franchione took over the reigns at Alabama in 2001 after leading TCU to three consecutive bowl games.
The university's response contended that allegations of a $20,000 payment to prospect Kenny Smith in the mid-1990s fell outside the governing body's statute of limitations. Gene Stallings, who was coach at the time, also was not accused of wrongdoing.

Alabama officials also argued that the NCAA couldn't prove that high school coaches for Memphis prospect Albert Means received money to steer the defensive lineman to Alabama, or that any money was tied to Tide booster Logan Young.

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