LOS ANGELES – The Southern California football program has been fined $50,000 and placed on one-year probation by the NCAA for multiple coaching staff rule violations over two seasons.
The NCAA and USC announced that they had reached a settlement in the case.
An NCAA investigation found that USC exceeded the allowed number of countable coaches during the 2022 season along with spring training in 2023. Eight analysts did on- and off-court coaching during that period, exceeding the allowed number by six.
Both sides also agreed that Lincoln Riley had violated head coach responsibility rules, but that he would not be suspended.
The NCAA changed its rules in January 2023 limiting the number of coaches and their duties. At the same time, the head coach’s responsibilities were shifted from a rebuttable presumption to an automatic seizure.
“Because Riley was not personally involved in the violations and demonstrated that he promoted an atmosphere of compliance and supervised his staff, Riley rebutted his alleged responsibility for the violations that occurred before the rules changed. For the same reasons, the parties also agreed that a suspension penalty for Riley was inappropriate,” the NCAA said in a news release announcing the settlement.
The NCAA also limited USC from having its special teams analyst have six consecutive days of practice and film review for two weeks of the 2024-2025 season. The remaining analysts will not be allowed to practice or review film for six consecutive days for four weeks of the 2024-2025 season.
“Since USC became aware of potential violations involving our football program in May 2023, USC has cooperated with NCAA enforcement staff and the Commission on Violations, identifying and acknowledging violations, issuing corrective actions, and issuing timely negotiated resolution. fashion that has been approved by the committee,” USC athletics director Jen Cohen said in a statement. “We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in our athletics programs.”
