Syracuse Football Program Under NCAA Investigation

ByPatrick Schmidt|

Oct 5, 2013; Syracuse, NY, USA; General view of a Syracuse Orange helmet prior to the game against the Clemson Tigers at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

The Syracuse football program is now part of an NCAA investigation that began with the NCAA looking into the Orange basketball program

While the Georgia Bulldogs, North Carolina Tar Heels, Oklahoma State Cowboys, among others find themselves in the crosshairs of the NCAA, the Syracuse Orange are now a part of a “wide-ranging inquiry” according to Syracuse.com’s Nate Mink who reports the football program is under investigation by the NCAA.

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Mink writes: “The information shows that the NCAA inquiry that has swirled around the basketball team for two years is more involved, and that the football team is part of the investigation and potentially exposed to penalties. It’s unclear if other teams are involved.”

Current head coach Scott Shaffer and former head coach Greg Robinson did not comment on the story, but Doug Marrone, currently the Buffalo Bills head coach, who coached in between those two addressed the situation and denied any wrongdoing.

"“There’s nothing that I know about that we did that wasn’t either punished or put forth,” said Marrone. “One thing I did, if we made a mistake, an incidental contact or something, I just always reported it. It’s not worth it. This way I can sleep at night.”"

The basketball program first came under fire in March of 2013 when CBS Sports reported the program and athletic department were being investigated for the academic record of Fab Melo who was suspended in 2012 and James Southerland who had an academic suspension before the 2013 season but later returned to the team after the inquiry into his academic background was complete.

Syracuse officials were invited to a hearing at the end of the month which should signal the end of their two-year investigation is coming to an end and a decision about whether Syracuse broke NCAA rules and if so they type of punishment they will receive.

Potential punishment could range from a reduction of scholarships to probation to a bowl ban depending on the findings from the NCAA

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