07-22-2002, 01:34 AM
per ESPN.com.....
University of Washington football coach Rick Neuheisel, the subject of an NCAA probe for alleged recruiting violations during his tenure at the University of Colorado, has apologized to an NCAA committee for any "inadvertent errors.''
Neuheisel also said he has voluntarily limited his own off-campus recruiting for Washington.
Neuheisel and the University of Colorado responded in late June to the NCAA investigation, which alleged 51 recruiting rules violations. The university released both responses on Friday.
Neuheisel acknowledged some secondary violations and said neither he nor any members of his staff at Colorado, where he coached from 1995-98, intentionally broke NCAA rules.
"If errors were made, they were inadvertent, and I apologize for that,'' he wrote.
As an apparent show of good faith, Neuheisel said he voluntarily visited only one high school during evaluations of potential recruits in May and "refrained from all (other) visits and evaluation activities.''
He also said he will attend a regional NCAA compliance seminar next year in Seattle.
The University of Colorado acknowledged 40 secondary violations, most of them improper contacts with recruits and violations of apparel policies. The NCAA did not allege major violations but did maintain that the secondary violations demonstrated a lack of institutional control.
Chancellor Richard Byyny vigorously denied that. He wrote that Colorado has "eliminated the potential'' for such violations by upgrading compliance.
"Recruiting errors that come from constantly 'pushing the envelope' can and have been eliminated'' under the current administration, Byyny wrote.
Byyny told the NCAA that the university has become "a model for the Big 12,'' noting that it has imposed a one-year probationary period on itself.
He asked that Colorado not be penalized by the Indianapolis-based governing body.
Neuheisel, Byyny, Colorado Athletic Director Dick Tharp will attend a formal hearing Aug. 9 in Philadelphia before the NCAA's infractions committee, which is expected to rule on the allegations at that time.
The 51 allegations included improper visits to 25 prospective athletes outside of approved contact periods. Seven recruits ended up playing for the Buffaloes.
The school also allegedly failed to recover athletic apparel provided for campus visit weekends and had inadequate equipment room monitoring.
Neuheisel also is accused of not properly documenting use of a private jet for recruiting. Another allegation concerned attendance at a prospect's baseball game by an unauthorized athletic department staff member.
Neuheisel questioned 18 of the alleged violations as having exceeded the NCAA's four- year statute of limitations. In some cases, however, the committee on infractions waives that statute.
The NCAA formally advised CU of its investigation in July 2001.
Neuheisel made his response to the NCAA through his attorneys, Rich Hilliard and Kevin Pearson of Indianapolis.
University of Washington football coach Rick Neuheisel, the subject of an NCAA probe for alleged recruiting violations during his tenure at the University of Colorado, has apologized to an NCAA committee for any "inadvertent errors.''
Neuheisel also said he has voluntarily limited his own off-campus recruiting for Washington.
Neuheisel and the University of Colorado responded in late June to the NCAA investigation, which alleged 51 recruiting rules violations. The university released both responses on Friday.
Neuheisel acknowledged some secondary violations and said neither he nor any members of his staff at Colorado, where he coached from 1995-98, intentionally broke NCAA rules.
"If errors were made, they were inadvertent, and I apologize for that,'' he wrote.
As an apparent show of good faith, Neuheisel said he voluntarily visited only one high school during evaluations of potential recruits in May and "refrained from all (other) visits and evaluation activities.''
He also said he will attend a regional NCAA compliance seminar next year in Seattle.
The University of Colorado acknowledged 40 secondary violations, most of them improper contacts with recruits and violations of apparel policies. The NCAA did not allege major violations but did maintain that the secondary violations demonstrated a lack of institutional control.
Chancellor Richard Byyny vigorously denied that. He wrote that Colorado has "eliminated the potential'' for such violations by upgrading compliance.
"Recruiting errors that come from constantly 'pushing the envelope' can and have been eliminated'' under the current administration, Byyny wrote.
Byyny told the NCAA that the university has become "a model for the Big 12,'' noting that it has imposed a one-year probationary period on itself.
He asked that Colorado not be penalized by the Indianapolis-based governing body.
Neuheisel, Byyny, Colorado Athletic Director Dick Tharp will attend a formal hearing Aug. 9 in Philadelphia before the NCAA's infractions committee, which is expected to rule on the allegations at that time.
The 51 allegations included improper visits to 25 prospective athletes outside of approved contact periods. Seven recruits ended up playing for the Buffaloes.
The school also allegedly failed to recover athletic apparel provided for campus visit weekends and had inadequate equipment room monitoring.
Neuheisel also is accused of not properly documenting use of a private jet for recruiting. Another allegation concerned attendance at a prospect's baseball game by an unauthorized athletic department staff member.
Neuheisel questioned 18 of the alleged violations as having exceeded the NCAA's four- year statute of limitations. In some cases, however, the committee on infractions waives that statute.
The NCAA formally advised CU of its investigation in July 2001.
Neuheisel made his response to the NCAA through his attorneys, Rich Hilliard and Kevin Pearson of Indianapolis.