No penalties for Kiffin
Just three months after learning USC lost its appeal and must sit out another bowl season, Lane Kiffin received a bit of good news. The NCAA’s Committee on Infractions ruled Wednesday the former Volunteer head coach did not commit any major violations during his one season at Tennessee.
"The committee concluded that the evidence was insufficient to support findings of major violations," the infractions report said. "However, the committee was troubled by the number and nature of the secondary infractions by the football coaching staff during its one-year tenure at the institution."
"From January 2009 through October 2009 the staff committed 12 violations, all connected to recruiting. Some of the violations received nationwide publicity and brought the football program into public controversy. This is not a record of which to be proud. Nevertheless, because the violations individually were secondary and most were isolated, the committee, in the end, determined not to make a finding of a major violation."
Kiffin seemed very pleased in a statement released Wednesday:
“I’m very grateful to the NCAA, the Committee on Infractions and its chairman, Dennis Thomas, for a very fair and thorough process. I'm also very grateful that we were able to accurately and fairly present the facts in our case and that no action was taken against us. I’m pleased that the NCAA based its decision on the facts and not on perception. I’m also very grateful that the Tennessee football program was cleared of any wrongdoing.
“As I have said before, we always have been committed to following NCAA rules and bylaws both at Tennessee and now at USC, and we always will be. Now that this has reached its conclusion, I am looking forward to continuing to prepare our team for the upcoming season.”
USC Athletic Director Pat Haden commented on the issue Wednesday: “We obviously were pleased to learn about the NCAA’s ruling today regarding Lane Kiffin. I appeared at Lane’s NCAA hearing, and I believe the NCAA’s decision is fair and based on the facts presented. I'm glad this is behind us now and I know Lane feels the same way. From the time he arrived at USC, Lane Kiffin has been extremely compliant regarding NCAA rules and I feel confident that he will continue to be so.”
Kiffin is entering his second season as the USC head coach
