The NCAA sanctions in the wake of the Penn State child sex scandal were handed down this morning. The school faces a $60 million fine, a four-year bowl ban, and the vacating of their wins from 1998 through 2011. In addition, they’ll be allowed 15 scholarships for incoming players each of the next four years, instead of the usual 25, and will have a total scholarship limit of 65.
The vacating of wins moves Joe Paterno from 1st to 12th on college football’s all-time wins list. Former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden moves back into first place among Division I-A coaches with 389, while Grambling’s Eddie Robinson leads all college football coaches.
The scholarship limits, and the fact that current players and commits will be allowed to transfer without penalty, will affect Penn State the most. It remains to be seen how many current players will leave, but recruiting is going to become a Herculean task for the school.
The school will also be put on probation for 5 years, and must work with an athletic-integrity monitor of the NCAA’s choosing.
The Big Ten will also be imposing sanctions on Penn State.
The conference has condemned and censured the program
They have banned the school from participating in the Big 10 Championship game in the same years that they face Bowl Bans from the NCAA.
They have also placed the program on 5 years of probation concurrent to the NCAA probation period.
Penn State’s proceeds from Big Ten bowl revenues from the four years, (estimated at $13 million) will be allocated “to established charitable organizations in Big Ten communities dedicated to the protection of children,” instead of being distributed to the school as would normally be the case.
Yesterday the university removed the Joe Paterno statue that has stood on campus for the last ten years, since he originally set the NCAA coaching wins record.
