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More trouble for Tide Alabama gets another letter of inquiry from NCAA
Updated: Thursday September 06, 2001 2:46 PM
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- The University of Alabama received official word from the NCAA on Thursday detailing alleged rules violations in the Crimson Tide football program. The university did not immediately make public the charges, contained in a document known as a letter of inquiry. President Andrew Sorensen, Athletic Director Mal Moore and attorneys were reviewing the letter. But simply receiving the document represented bad news for the Crimson Tide since a letter of inquiry -- the product of months of investigation -- is similar to a grand jury indictment in criminal court. Institutions typically have 90 days to respond to allegations of wrongdoing. Under NCAA rules the program faces possible penalties including probation, a reduction in scholarships, a bowl ban and loss of postseason revenues. University spokeswoman Janet Griffith said officials would hold a news conference at 12:30 p.m. CDT Friday to discuss the NCAA review, but she said it was unclear whether the school would make public the letter itself. "I know they're committed to releasing as much as they can," she said. NCAA investigators have spent months reviewing allegations an Alabama booster paid $200,000 to a high school coach in Memphis, Tenn., in return for the coach sending a star player to Alabama. The player, defensive lineman Albert Means, has since transferred to Memphis. The coach, Lynn Lang, and a former assistant, Milton Kirk, were indicted last week on federal charges in the recruiting scandal. The review also focused on questions of academic improprieties, improper benefits for players and other possible recruiting violations, all during the 1997-2000 tenure of former head coach Mike DuBose. The letter represented only the latest in a string of scrapes at Alabama with the NCAA enforcement office. The football program went on NCAA probation and lost scholarships in 1995 for rules violations under former coach Gene Stallings. The basketball program acknowledged breaking NCAA rules in 1998. While Alabama could be considered a "repeat offender" under NCAA rules, leading to a possible shutdown of the football program, such a harsh penalty was considered unlikely since the university said it cooperated fully with the investigation. DuBose resigned at the end of last season after Alabama finished 3-8, its worst record in 43 years. DuBose was replaced by Dennis Franchione, whose team lost its season opener to UCLA last week, 20-17. Alabama plays Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday.
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