University of Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self, 56, owns a 473-106 record in 16 seasons at the school. He won a national title in 2008. The Jayhawks have been to the Final Four three times under Self. File Photo by John Sommers II/UPI |
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Sept. 24 (UPI) -- The NCAA has charged the University of Kansas with a lack of institutional control. The governing body of college athletics also charged Jayhawks men's basketball coach Bill Self with multiple violations.
The notice of allegations was issued Monday to the chancellor of the University of Kansas. School officials have 90 days to respond to the charges. The major allegations relate to the school's relationship with Adidas and impermissible benefits and recruiting contracts offered and provided to unnamed men's basketball players.
Kansas is charged with five Level I violations, which are considered the most serious in regard to NCAA rules. The Jayhawks also are charged with two Level II violations linked to the football program and former football coach David Beaty. The football charges include allegations that Beaty allowed an extra coach to work during football practice.
"The university's response will fully and comprehensively present its positions regarding the notice," Kansas said in a news release. "In the meantime, though, it is already clear from an initial review that the university will fiercely dispute in detail much of what has been presented."
Kansas added that the school rejects the "assertion that Adidas and Adidas employees and associates were boosters and agents of the university during the period of the alleged violations and therefore acting on the university's behalf when they engaged in alleged violations of NCAA bylaws."
The school also said it "firmly and fully supports" Self and the other members of the Jayhawks' men's basketball staff. Kansas signed a 14-year, $196 million contract extension with Adidas in April. The sports apparel company has been at the center of a federal investigation regarding bribes and corruption in college basketball for the past two years.
Ex-Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola was sentenced to probation and fined for his part in a pay-for-play scheme regarding pushing recruits to Kansas instead of other Adidas-contracted college athletic programs. Gassnola pleaded guilty in 2018 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in the scandal.
Former Adidas executive James Gatto's attorney told a jury during a federal criminal case in October that Gatto approved a $20,000 payment to the guardian of current Kansas player Silvio De Sousa after Self and assistant men's basketball coach Kurtis Townsend requested payment through Gassnola. Gassnola also said he paid the guardians of former Jayhawks player Bill Preston, while under oath at the October trial.
Gatto, Christian Dawkins and Merl Code were found guilty on felony charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The trio was accused of using money from Adidas to pay the families of recruits to secure their signings with Adidas-sponsored schools and later with Adidas, financial planners and agents when they turned professional.
"By the NCAA's own admission through its public statements early this summer, it's no secret that there is tremendous pressure on the NCAA to respond to the federal court proceedings involving college basketball," Self said.
"Compelled to reassure member institutions and the general public that it can police its member institutions, the NCAA enforcement staff has responded in an unnecessarily aggressive manner in submitting today's unsubstantiated notice of allegations, and I, as well as the university, will vigorously dispute what has been alleged.
"In its haste and attempt to regain control, the enforcement staff has created a false narrative regarding me and our basketball program. The narrative is based on innuendo, half-truths, mis-impressions and mischaracterizations. In reality, we all know there is only one version of the truth. The truth is based on verifiable facts, and I am confident the facts we will demonstrate in our case will expose the inaccuracies of the enforcement staff's narrative."
Kansas said it "self-reported" the football violations to the NCAA related to the conduct of two former members of the coaching staff. Those involved in the football violations no longer are associated with the school, according to Kansas.
"The University strongly disagrees with the assertion that it 'lacks of institutional control,'" the Kansas statement said. "In fact, the university believes that the record will demonstrate just the opposite. The University of Kansas takes seriously all NCAA and Big XII bylaws, consistently provides education to its staff members, and monitors its programs to ensure compliance with these bylaws."
Kansas chancellor Doug Girod and athletic director Jeff Long retained an outside compliance expert to review the compliance program and make recommendations. The school said a report found Kansas' compliance program "meets or exceeds industry standard in all facets."
Kansas said it will continue to cooperate with the NCAA and looks forward to submitting its response to the notice.
"Obviously, we are disappointed in the allegations leveled against our men's basketball program as well as our self-reported violations from the previous football staff," Long said. "We strongly disagree with the allegations regarding men's basketball. We fully support coach Self and his staff, and we will vigorously defend the allegations against him and our university.
"As for the football violations, we fully met the requirements and our responsibility to the NCAA by self-reporting the violations when our compliance procedures uncovered the issues. I am confident in our process to respond to the allegations and look forward to resolving this matter."
A head coach can be suspended up to a season for Level I violations and up to half of a season for Level II violations.
