Florida A&M Coach Quits; Reports over 200 Violations.

[Bomis Hawg]

http://www.fanblogs.com/mideastern_athletic/005236.php

Florida A&M fired Head Coach Billy Joe this week after self-reporting over 200 rules violations in multiple sports to the NCAA. The school is recommending a cut in scholarships for every varsity sport. The NCAA's investigation is expected to conclude this fall.

The school's athletic director indicated that Joe was fired mainly because of practice time violations.

Rules violations included ineligible players competing, coaches involved in grade changes, practice time violations and recruiting violations. Multiple years of probation is expected as well as the refunding of NCAA tournament money in hoops.

This continues the investigation that resulted in 2 football (11 total) conference titles being forfeited after 196 rules violations were found. 5 assistant coaches, including Joe's brother, previously quit and the university president was fired as a result of politics surrounding the move to I-A that never happened.The Rattlers rejoin the MEAC this year after that aborted maneuver.

The athletic deparment is also facing budget cuts again this year after finishing $3 million in the red last year.

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Link: School 'cutting scholarships in virtually every sport.'

The announcement Thursday comes just days after football coach Billy Joe was fired for purported recruiting and eligibility violations. The school's findings were forwarded to the NCAA earlier this week, with a list of recommended restrictions, sports information director Alvin Hollins said.


"We're cutting scholarships in virtually every sport. At least one will be cut in every sport, some will have more than one cut," Hollins told The Associated Press. "Some sports will definitely have some restrictions in recruiting. We're also making some severe cuts in our operating budget."

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This is an insane story.  The President of the school was fired by the Board of Trustees because he delayed the move to D1aa, which they'll play again in the MEAC -- this was last September.  Deep stuff going on there, get out your waders.