NCAA Deals Central Florida 1-Year Postseason Ban In Football And Men's Basketball

UCF wins NCAA bowl ban appeal, according to reports

The Knights are still subject to other sanctions but will be postseason-eligible going forward.

UCF going bowling (probably): NCAA appeal not until January

The NCAA won't rule on UCF's appeal on its postseason ban until January, which means the Knights will most likely be postseason eligible this season.

UCF Plans To Appeal Bowl Ban By Monday

The University of Central Florida has until Monday to appeal the one-year football postseason bowl ban imposed on them by the NCAA. And according to an ESPN report, it appears the university will do just that.

On July 31, in response to allegations and an investigation into improper recruiting tactics, the NCAA imposed penalties on both the men's football and basketball programs. UCF has accepted their punishment in everything except football. But the risk far outweighs the reward for UCF should they fail in their appeal bid.

The Knights are currently still a member of Conference USA, with football bowl payouts ranging from $500,000 to $1.8 million to the conference champion. But the university will be joining the Big East next season and the football bowl payouts are significantly higher -- between $1.1 million and $3 million.

If the university wins, UCF would be bowl eligible this season and the next. However, should they lose their appeal, the ban would take place during the 2013 football season when they're in their new conference and the financial losses would be far greater.

The amount of time the appeals process takes is usually 110 days, according to the report. But the NCAA can make their ruling at anytime. This prospect threatens to turn C-USA's bowl situation upside down if the ruling is made this year.

For more on Central Florida football and basketball, be sure to visit SB Nation Tampa Bay.

Central Florida Keeps Keith Clanton, Loses Three Other Seniors

Central Florida received some much-needed good news for its basketball program when star forward Keith Clanton announced he would be staying at UCF for his senior season.

UCF Appealing NCAA Sanctions Against Football

University of Central Florida President Dr. John Hitt published a letter on UCF's official website to announce that the school was appealing the one-year postseason ban on the football team. In the letter, Hitt explains his reasoning for appealing the postseason ban for that sport and not the basketball team.

We accepted the one-year postseason ban for men's basketball because the facts supported that penalty. But in assigning the postseason ban for football, the NCAA report went beyond what was supported by the facts.

UCF has asked the NCAA to rule quickly on this appeal so that they will be able to get a sense of closure to this situation. Hitt says that if the NCAA rejects the appeal, they will accept the final ruling and work hard with new athletic director Todd Stansbury to make UCF "a national model for compliance."

Central Florida plays their first game of the football season against the Akron Zips on August 30, so NCAA could be under pressure to make this ruling within the next two weeks.

For more on Central Florida football and basketball, be sure to visit SB Nation Tampa Bay.

Kenneth Caldwell Responds To NCAA Sanctions Against Central Florida

Sports agency representative Kenneth Caldwell has taken to Twitter to protest the one-year postseason ban handed to Central Florida's men's basketball and football teams by the NCAA.

NCAA Releases Complete List Of Central Florida Sanctions

The NCAA has released its report on Central Florida, which includes the full list of penalties handed out to the men’s basketball and football programs. The sanctions are headlined by a one-year postseason ban in both sports.

Citing a “lack of institutional control,” the NCAA has hit UCF with the following penalties:

—Public reprimand and censure.

—Five years probation from Feb. 10, 2012, through Feb. 9, 2017.

—Postseason ban for the 2012 football season and 2012-13 men’s basketball season.

—The head men’s basketball coach was suspended for the first three conference games of the 2011-12 season (self-imposed by the university) and given a three-year show-cause order starting with the 2012-13 season. Details of the show-cause orders can be found in the public report. Additionally, the coach may not recruit off-campus during all three July evaluation periods for the July 2012 and July 2013 evaluation periods.

—An assistant men’s basketball coach was suspended for the first two conference games of the 2011-12 season (self-imposed by the university). Additionally, the coach may not recruit off-campus during all three July evaluation periods for the July 2012 and July 2013 evaluation periods.

—A three-year show-cause order for the former director of athletics and a one-year show cause for the former assistant football coach. The show-cause orders do not allow any contact with prospective student-athletes. The public report contains further details. Disassociation of three representatives of athletics interest (self-imposed by the university).

—Reduction of five initial (from 25 maximum) and five total (from 85 maximum) football scholarships for three academic years.

—A limit of 11 men’s basketball scholarships (from 13 maximum) for three academic years.

—$50,000 fine.

—Vacation of all men’s basketball wins in which an ineligible student-athlete competed for the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. The public report includes further details (self-imposed by the university).

—Reduction of the number of permissible off-campus recruiters.

—Reduction of two full-time football coaches permitted to recruit off-campus during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.

—Reduction of one full-time men’s basketball coach permitted to recruit off-campus during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.

—Reduction in the available number of recruiting person days by 25 for men’s basketball during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years (self-imposed by the university).

—Reduction in the available number of recruiting person days by nine in the fall football evaluation period and 34 in the spring football evaluation period during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years (self-imposed by the university).

—Football official paid visits are limited to 30 for each of the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.

—Men’s basketball official paid visits are limited to seven for each of the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years (self-imposed by the university).

UCF was punished by the NCAA due to the relationship between several of its coaches and sports agency representative Ken Caldwell, who acted as a middle man between recruits and agents while simultaneously acting as a representative of the university and pushing recruits towards UCF. In addition to having connections to professional agents, Caldwell is a twice-convicted criminal.

For more on Central Florida football and basketball, visit SB Nation Tampa Bay.

Central Florida Receives 1-Year Postseason Ban In Men's Basketball And Football

The NCAA has hit Central Florida with a one-year postseason ban in football and men's basketball due to the relationship between several of its coaches and sports agency representative Ken Caldwell.

NCAA To Announce UCF Sanctions Decision Tuesday Morning

The NCAA is set to announce its first ruling since the highly controversial Penn State sanctions, with the long-broiling investigation into Central Florida recruiting ready to culminate in an 11 a.m. ET announcement of punishments on Tuesday. And oh, what exciting timing for a future Big East member!

UCF sanctions being announced square in the middle of Big East Media Day.

— Mark Ennis (@Mengus22) July 30, 2012

According to the allegations against UCF, a man by the name of Ken Caldwell acted as a middle man between recruits and agents while simultaneously acting as a representative of the university and pushing recruits towards UCF. In addition to having connections to professional agents, Caldwell is a twice-convicted criminal.

The university notified the NCAA of a number of self-imposed penalties, none of which included postseason bans. Here are the big penalties:

-- Place UCF Athletics on probation for three years, which prompts extensive NCAA compliance oversight.

-- Vacate all men's basketball wins for the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years.

-- Drop from 13 to 12 men's basketball scholarships for the next two years.

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For more on Central Florida football, visit SB Nation Tampa Bay. And you should probably start reading Big East Coast Bias.

UCF Self-Imposes Loss Of Scholarship, Vacated Wins After NCAA Allegations

In response to the NCAA's accusations of major recruiting violations in both men's basketball and football, the University of Central Florida has self-imposed a number of recruiting restrictions and has voluntarily vacated victories. Prior to the school's decision to impose penalties on itself, athletic director Keith Tribble resigned from his position at the school. Wide receivers coach David Kelly was also forced to resign, while head basketball coach Donnie Jones was suspended for three Conference USA games.

According to the allegations against UCF, a man by the name of Ken Caldwell acted as a middle man between recruits and agents while simultaneously acting as a representative of the university and pushing recruits towards UCF. In addition to having connections to professional agents, Caldwell is a twice-convicted criminal.

The university notified the NCAA of a number of self-imposed penalties on Monday, none of which included postseason bans. Here are the big penalties:

-- Place UCF Athletics on probation for three years, which prompts extensive NCAA compliance oversight.

-- Vacate all men's basketball wins for the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years.

-- Drop from 13 to 12 men's basketball scholarships for the next two years.

UCF will appear before the NCAA infractions committee in April, where the NCAA will decide whether or not UCF's self-imposed penalties are sufficient.

UCF NCAA Investigation: Athletic Director Keith Tribble Resigns

The University of Central Florida received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA detailing a number of violations. Amidst the wake of the allegations, UCF athletic director Keith Tribble resigned. UCF football wide receivers coach David Kelly also resigned and men's basketball coach Donnie Jones was suspended for three conference games without pay as well. Tribble and Kelly were also cited for "unethical conduct" after meeting with NCAA investigators.

The NCAA alleged that a recruiter for a sports agency committed violations in both football and basketball recruiting, including paying tuition and travel expenses for both players and recruits. The NCAA alleges that Ken Caldwell and Brandon Bender, Caldwell identified as "a recruiter for a professional sports agency" by the NCAA. According to the allegations, Bender and Caldwell paid tuition and fees for UCF men's basketball players, gave a laptop computer to a football recruit; and covered transportation expenses for men's basketball recruits. The NCAA also states that Tribble, Kelly, and Jones were aware of the contact of their players and recruits by Bender and Caldwell.

UCF is currently already on probation until 2012 for impermissible calls by football staff to recruits between 2007 to 2009.

UCF head football coach George O'Leary reacted to the high profile resignations:

It's disappointing obviously. The only thing you can do is move on from this point. You know it's really something that occurred. I hate to see any adults lose their job over anything, but I think decisions were made and, again, I'm more right now interested in the outcome as far as the NCAA's concerned.

UCF has 90 days from November 7th to respond to the allegations.

Keith Tribble Resigns As UCF Athletic Director, School President Confirms

UCF has accepted the resignation of Athletic Director Keith Tribble amid a NCAA investigation into the recruiting practices of the football and men's basketball teams. The news was announced by school president John Hitt during a Wednesday press conference.

Hitt said he had accepted resignation of wide receivers coach David Kelly and that men's basketball coach Donnie Jones had been suspended for three games. Head football coach George O'Leary was not punished, and Hitt said that he had participated fully with NCAA investigators.

Also during the press conference, Hitt handed out a copy of the NCAA investigation that apparently focused on the recruitment of six men's basketball players and five football players between March 2009 and July 2011. Those players were essentially steered toward UCF by Ken Caldwell, a recruiter for a professional sports agency, and Brandon Bender, an associate of Caldwell's. UCF coaches were apparently aware of this activity.

Regarding Tribble's involvement, the report had this to say:

The NCAA notice alleges Tribble "violated principles of ethical conduct when he knowingly (a) attempted to provide an improper inducement to the mother of a prospective student-athlete and (b)provided false and misleading information to the institution and enforcement staff."

Retired Admiral Al Harms was named the interim athletic director.

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Ken Caldwell Allegations Have NCAA Investigating As Kevin Ware De-Commits From UCF

Kevin Ware is developing a reputation as college basketball's biggest prima donna, but he just looks to be one of its unluckiest, if you really pay attention to what's going on. After leaving the Tennessee Volunteers once Michael Adams fired Bruce Pearl (despite allegedly assuring Ware that Pearl would stick around), Ware shocked much of the Southeast by committing to the relatively lowly Central Florida Knights over the Louisville Cardinals, Georgia Bulldogs and others.

Now, due to a regularly scheduled Pete Thamel blockbuster, Ware is looking for his next college basketball destination again. In the New York Times report, Thamel alleges UCF received recruiting assistance from Kenneth Caldwell, a twice-convicted criminal.

The NCAA is looking into Caldwell's reported connections with the program, though Caldwell swears he's done nothing wrong. UCF associate AD Joe Hornstein declared the department immediately began investigating the matter on its own as soon as the story broke.

For more Central Florida hoops, visit SB Nation's UCF basketball hub page.