BREAKING: NCAA to Ohio St.: Failure to monitor

OSU AD Gene Smith

((ht: dispatch.com))

Lost in the Penn State shuffle may be a story of equal significance, particularly in the Big 10. Ohio State University announced today that the NCAA has informed them they will be charged with "Failure to Monitor", a charge only slightly less severe than "Lack of Institutional Control".

The school also announced they would forfeit 5 scholarships over the next three years. Which was symbolic, but for a program as large as OSU, it means very little.

Read the story from the Columbus Dispatch RIGHT HERE

It appears, based on the charge, that the NCAA saw through Ohio State's attempt to blame their problems on former coach Jim Tressel. Rather, it indicates they feel it is a systemic problem.

And that problem may--and probably should cost Athletic Director Gene Smith his job. We reported just yesterday on the "Notice of Allegations" at UCF. Those allegations were also serious and UCF immediately fired Athletic Director Keith Tribble.

What many believe pushed the NCAA over the edge was the Ohio State/Bobby DiGeronimo problems. DiGeronimo, a booster, was paying players for either not or barely working at his business.

The question now is "Does Ohio State impose a bowl ban?". We don't think they will...though we might add, it would save them money. If they took the rules seriously, they wouldn't have allowed Terrelle Pryor and the other players suspended for "Tattoo-Gate" to play in the Sugar Bowl last season.