Miami Dismisses Dyron Dye As The NCAA Case Continues To Crawl
By Kyle Kensing
Oct 13, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes tight end Dyron Dye (49) is tackled by North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Travis Hughes (9) during the fourth quarter at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Fifth-year senior Dyron Dye was dismissed from the Miami Hurricanes football program, the university announced on Monday.
Closure on Dye’s chapter in the excruciatingly long NCAA investigation into Miami football is the most substantial development in this case to date. Yahoo! Sports’ Charles Robinson first reported nearly two years ago to the day details of the investigation, stemming from the testimony of convicted Ponzi scheme conspirator Nevin Shapiro.
Movement in the subsequent two years has been at a standstill, at least publicly. The NCAA’s snail’s pace forced the Miami athletic department’s hand to appease the oftentimes unpredictable governing body.
Miami has imposed postseason bans each of the last two years, but university brass has shown its impatience with a third season under the investigation’s cloud looming and Al Golden having his best roster since arriving in 2011.
Perhaps Dye’s dismissal is a step toward resolution.
The university’s issued statement, per The Sun-Sentinel:
"“The University of Miami has informed football player Dyron Dye that he will no longer be a member of the Miami football program,” the statement reads. “Given the totality of the circumstances and unresolved issues regarding the NCAA investigation, the University has decided to move ahead.”"
Dye was a holdover from the Randy Shannon era. He played on the defensive line in 2010, but converted to tight end under Golden. He started eight games in 2012 and made four receptions 48 yards. He was rehabbing an Achilles’ tendon injury in the off-season.
Dye was one of eight Hurricane players suspended at the beginning of 2011 for receiving improper benefits.
His lawyer, Darren Heitner, told The Miami Herald in a report earlier this week that the investigation could inflict “irreparable damage to [Dye’s] career.”
"My only concern is that Dyron is given the opportunity to participate on the University of Miami football team when he is medically cleared. The NCAA needs to make a determination regarding his eligibility to participate in the upcoming season."
There is still no known timetable for a decision on Miami. Other investigated programs including Mississippi State, North Carolina and Oregon escaping with relatively minor penalties recently makes the NCAA’s continued inaction particularly baffling.