Ohio State Football: Did NCAA give special treatment after self-reported violations?

On Wednesday, it was revealed that Ohio State football self-reported 16 NCAA violations over the last two years, and with minimal punishment.

A Wednesday report from Eleven Warriors indicates that the Ohio State football program has self-reported 16 violations over the last two seasons, along with another six from the men’s basketball program.

In the current climate, where Missouri is facing a postseason ban after self-reporting their own violations, this can be an initially scary headline for Buckeye fans (and given Ohio State’s blue blood status, an exciting one for opposing fans around the country). However, unlike in Missouri’s case, it doesn’t seem that there is much to worry about for the Buckeyes.

In the report, it’s detailed that most of the noteworthy violations have already been handled. In this case, unlike in Missouri’s, it appears that Ohio State was rewarded for their cooperation.

One example of that cooperation being that, “The football team agreed to no longer recruit five-star Micah Parsons after he took pictures on the College GameDay set and met with the analysts.”

Another example, “Due to NCAA violations that stemmed from seven impermissible phone calls, Urban Meyer was barred from making recruiting calls from Dec. 20 to 26”. This was a toothless punishment, however, as Meyer was already a lame duck coach, waiting to end his Ohio State tenure with one final game in the Rose Bowl.

It is impossible, in seeing this news, not to notice how differently the NCAA treats institutions. As Missouri faces a bowl ban, the Buckeyes get off scot-free. Both schools tried to cooperate, but only Ohio State was let off the hook.

One could make the argument that Missouri’s infractions are more severe than Ohio State’s. That’s not an unreasonable stance. However, it doesn’t negate the NCAA’s differing approaches to how it handles violations based on the status of a school.

Perhaps a more apt comparison would be North Carolina. The Tar Heels never cooperated with the NCAA. Their violations took place over the course of a decade. Those violations were also more egregious than those of Missouri.

Somehow, the NCAA found a loophole, and was able to let one of its cash cow programs walk free. Would it have done the same to any basketball school outside of UNC, Duke, or Kentucky? Likely not.

Similarly, in the football world, the NCAA deals sheepishly with the top programs. It has no problem doling out punishment to the likes of Missouri and Ole Miss. Ohio State, however? The NCAA cowers.

This isn’t new. In 2010, The NCAA allowed several Buckeyes to postpone their suspension until the next season, so that they could play in the Sugar Bowl. Of course, those players would all be in the NFL the next season. It wasn’t a secret that these players were NFL bound, and the NCAA was fully aware that they were essentially waving the punishment.

The hypocrisy, and favoritism, of the NCAA is a tale as old as time. Wednesday’s news was only the latest in a long line of examples.