USC football gets 1-year probation for coaching violations
USC football placed on 1-year probation
The NCAA has placed the USC Trojans football team on a one-year probation, after an investigation found the team had exceeded the maximum number of coaches allowed on a team. The school will pay a $50,000 fine, but head coach Lincoln Riley will not be suspended.
LOS ANGELES - The NCAA has placed the USC Trojans football team on a one-year probation for violating rules on coaching limits, the association announced Tuesday. The team will also have to pay a $50,000 fine, though Head Coach Lincoln Riley will not face a suspension.
The case revolves around multiple coaching violations from spring 2022 to spring 2023, in which eight analysts for the Trojan team coached some of the players. In one instance, a special teams analyst was found to have reviewed practice film with some players. In other cases, four offensive and defensive analysts helped with drills and coaching at practice.
The problem is that the NCAA has strict restrictions on the number of coaches schools can have on each of their sports teams. Per the NCAA bylaws, FBS football teams are limited to the head coach, 10 assistant coaches and four graduate student coaches. When these analysts performed "coaching duties," like being involved in practice and going over film, they exceeded that maximum.
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NCAA officials said they approached USC about potential violations in May 2023. After investigating, USC not only confirmed the initial violations, but found additional violations as well.
Ultimately, the NCAA ruled that "the football noncoaching staff members were aware of countable coach legislation but exhibited lapses in judgement by overstepping into impermissible coaching activities."
In situations like these, the NCAA says, "head coaches are presumed responsibile for the actions of their staff," meaning the brunt of the blame would fall on Riley. Over the last two seasons, multiple coaches have been suspended after their teams were put on probation. But in this case, the NCAA said because "Riley was not personally involved in the violations and demonstrated that he promoted an atmosphere of compliance and monitored his staff," they would not suspend him.
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The two sides agreed to the following punishments:
- One year of probation
- A $50,000 fine
- A restriction for the special teams analyst from practice and film review for six consecutive days during two weeks of the 2024-25 season.
- A restriction for the remaining analysts from practice and film review for six consecutive days during four weeks of the 2024-25 season.
- A reduction in countable athletically related activities for the football program by 24 hours during the 2023-24 season (self-imposed by the school).