Preseason C-USA favorite banned from postseason play

In a slightly surprising decision, Conference USA East Division favorites as well as Conference favorites University of Central Florida has been banned from postseason play this fall. According to Conference USA by-law, the Knights will not be eligible for the Conference title game.


This is a big blow to the program as they were favored by many publications to become a national story with a very talented team that is moving to the Big East. Now, the Knights have no momentum going into their move to the Big East in 2012 and will not get the national recognition that they were hoping for.

Penalties for the Knights football program include:

• Public reprimand and censure.
• Five years probation from February 10, 2012, through February 9, 2017.
• Postseason ban for the 2012 football season.
• A three-year show-cause order for the former director of athletics and a one-year show cause for the former assistant football coach. The show-cause orders do not allow any contact with prospective student-athletes. The public report contains further details. Disassociation of three representatives of athletics interest (self-imposed by the university).
• Reduction of five initial (from 25 maximum) and five total (from 85 maximum) football scholarships for three academic years.
• $50,000 fine.
• Reduction of the number of permissible off-campus recruiters:
  • Reduction of two full-time football coaches permitted to recruit off-campus during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.
• Reduction in the available number of recruiting person days by nine in the fall football evaluation period and 34 in the spring football evaluation period during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years (self-imposed by the university).
• Football official paid visits are limited to 30 for each of the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.