The NCAA punished LSU today for recruiting violations that took place during the 2020-21 offseason, which included providing the prospect with impermissible benefits during an informal recruiting trip, which resulted in one year of probation for the school among other punishments.
According to the NCAA, a former assistant coach and former assistant director of recruiting violated rules such as having in-person contact during a dead period where the former assistant director let the prospect and their family tour Tiger Stadium. Additionally, the former assistant director provided the prospect used LSU gear.
The assistant coach that committed the violations, former LSU offensive line coach James Cregg, also received a three year show cause. This means that “any NCAA member school employing him must restrict him from any off-campus recruiting activities unless it shows cause why the restrictions should not apply.”
Cregg was the offensive line coach at LSU from 2018-2020 and coached the 2019 offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award given to the best offensive line in college football. He is now an assistant offensive line coach for the San Francisco 49ers.
LSU also self-imposed multiple punishments, which included a $5,000 fine and limiting their official visits down to 55 during the 2022-23 academic year.
LSU responded to the ruling in a statement.
“Today’s decision of the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions involving a former LSU assistant football coach concludes a 21-month cooperative process between the University and the NCAA. Throughout this process, the University has worked in concert with the enforcement staff to determine the truth and to self-impose sanctions. We are grateful to the Committee and the enforcement staff for their work and for accepting our self-imposed penalties, and we are pleased to be able to move forward as an institution and as a football program. LSU continues to work through the IARP process regarding other allegations of rule violations.”
Here is the link to the official document.
LSU, former offensive line coach, punished by NCAA for recruiting violations
By Adam Burruss
September 22, 2022
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