Whatoh. Maybe Chip Kelly should have gone to Tampa Bay to coach the Bucs after all. News out of Eugene today does not bode well for the football program, which is under an NCAA investigation for improper recruiting methods, the most notable of which involve Will Lyles, who claims the school paid him $25,000 to influence Texas recruits to head north. Bryan Fischer of CBSSports explains after the jump...
According to the Eugene Register-Guard, the Oregon athletic department agreed that the football program did not follow NCAA bylaws and was not adequately monitored regarding use of recruiting/scouting services. The "proposed findings of violations" were sent from the NCAA enforcement staff to the school but is not a formal Notice of Allegations, which the report noted had not been received as of Friday.
At least three services did not conform to NCAA rules according to the documents and the program exceeded the number of permitted coaches recruiting by one between 2009 and 2011. Head coach Chip Kelly is believed to be near the center of the probe regarding his involvement. The school has retained attorney Michael Glazier, a partner in the firm Bond, Schoeneck & King, for his expertise in dealing with NCAA cases.
Oregon received a notice of inquiry in September to mark the formal start of the NCAA investigation into the Ducks' recruiting and use of scouting services. Lyles has claimed, among other things, that the school paid him $25,000 for influence with recruits in the state of Texas.
For more on this, head over to SB Nation's dedicated NCAA football hub, or check out Addicted to Quack.