Notre Dame on Probation

Press Release:

Recruiting violations were committed by the Notre Dame football program, according to an agreement released by the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions on Thursday. Per the release from the NCAA, a former unnamed Fighting Irish assistant had impermissible contact with an unnamed prospect at high school in the Seattle, Washington area when the assistant "met privately with the prospect at his high school before July 1 after the completion of his junior year of high school."

Per the release, the case at Notre Dame also involved a Level III recruiting violation in which head football coach Brian Kelly. Kelly, simply referenced as the "head football coach," was said to have "impermissibly posed for a photo with another prospect while visiting the prospect’s high school during the fall evaluation period."

"This case was processed through the negotiated resolution process," the release from the NCAA read. "The process was used instead of a formal hearing or summary disposition because the university, the involved coaches and the enforcement staff agreed on the violations and the penalties. The Division I Committee on Infractions reviewed the case to determine whether the resolution was in the best interests of the Association and whether the agreed-upon penalties were reasonable. Negotiated resolutions may not be appealed and do not set case precedent for other infractions cases."

As a result, Notre Dame received the following discipline from the NCAA: One year of probation, a $5,000 fine, a six-month show-cause order for the former assistant football coach, including a one-game suspension at any employing member school, reduced football official visits for the 2020-21 academic year by one, reduced football unofficial visits by 14 days for the 2020-21 academic year, and a seven-day off-campus recruiting ban for the entire football staff during the 2020-21 academic year.

Additionally, the university ended its recruitment of the unnamed prospect and will no longer recruit any prospects from said prospect's high school through the end of the 2021-2022 academic year.

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick released a statement on Thursday, per The Athletic's Matt Fortuna, calling the violations "unacceptable."

"Any violation of NCAA rules is unacceptable and Notre Dame takes full responsibility for its actions in this regard," Swarbrick wrote. "While we made clear to the NCAA our view that the agreed-upon penalties exceeded the nature of the infractions, we accept the final outcome of the case. In addition, the assistant coach involved is no longer employed by the university."

Apparently ND is accountable for some violations. "Posing for a picture" does seem a bit much in terms of the violations we hear about at someother schools.