Times wires
Saturday, June 11, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS — Bruce Pearl and Lane Kiffin answered all of the questions the NCAA's infractions committee asked Saturday.
Now Tennessee must wait 8-12 weeks to get a verdict.
The two former Vols coaches were among a contingent that spent 10½ hours inside the hearing room at a downtown hotel.
Kiffin, the school's former football coach, says he's glad the 22-month investigation is over.
"It's a very thorough process," said Kiffin, who left the school after the 2009 season to take over at Southern Cal. "It was a lot shorter than the last one I sat through — three days of USC's.
Pearl, fired in March as basketball coach, said he has no sense of relief because he, his staff and the university paid a heavy price for the mistakes made.
"The hardest part is just being here," he said. "This was not something I was looking forward to."
Both coaches said they couldn't comment on specifics that were discussed.
The list of allegations includes a dozen major violations against both of UT's programs, including failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance.
Kiffin and his assistants were accused of making improper calls to recruits after Tennessee officials warned them. Kiffin and recruiting intern Steve Rubio also are accused of visiting a high school even though Rubio wasn't permitted to do so.
Pearl and two of his assistants, Tony Jones and Steve Forbes, are accused of making 96 impermissible phone calls to 12 recruits or relatives between Aug. 1, 2007, and July 29, 2009.
Pearl also was charged with unethical conduct after misleading NCAA investigators during an interview in June 2010. He also allegedly called the father of a recruit in an attempt to influence his statement to the NCAA.
Texas A&M again earns two track titles
DES MOINES, Iowa — Texas A&M won the men's and women's titles at the NCAA Championships, becoming the first school to sweep the outdoors titles in three consecutive seasons.
The A&M men finished with 55 points, one ahead of Florida State and two ahead of Florida. USF finished tied for 41st, its only points coming when David Aristil finished fourth in the 400-meter hurdles late Friday. The A&M women finished with 49 points, four ahead of Oregon. FSU was 20th, and UF tied for 34th.
The Seminoles won the 4x100 men's relay. The team included Maurice Mitchell and Brandon Byram, who later finished first and fourth, respectively, in the 200.
Florida's Christian Taylor and Will Claye took first and second, respectively, in the triple jump.
Villanova's Sheila Reid became the first woman to win the 1,500 and 5,000 titles.