Trouble @ Dii Uco

NT03 · August 21, 2007

By Matt Patterson

Staff WriterEDMOND — The University of Central Oklahoma football program paid for 80 student athletes to attend Rose State College and made direct cash payments to players, according to a list of allegations the NCAA sent the school.

According to documents obtained through state open records laws, the payment for remedial classes at Rose State in Midwest City allegedly occurred from Aug. 1, 2003, to May 31, 2007. Other allegations include direct cash payments to "prospects” by the coaching staff ranging from $139.30 to $320.64 on or about Jan. 5, 2004, for a lifeguard instruction course at Rose State.

Another cash payment was made on or about Dec. 26, 2003, for $200, according to the NCAA, which launched the investigation in August 2006.

Staff members in the UCO athletics department allegedly arranged for payment totaling $4,772 for surgery for a player in November and December 2005, prior to his enrollment at UCO. Additionally, between Feb. 4 and July 21, 2005, UCO's athletic training staff allegedly provided sports medicine treatment to athletes before enrollment.

The NCAA also said UCO failed to exercise institutional control over its football program and "failed to maintain an atmosphere of NCAA rules compliance.” Additionally, the NCAA said a member of the athletics department "failed to deport himself in accordance with the generally recognized high standards of honesty normally associated with the conduct and administration of intercollegiate athletics.”

UCO officials could not be reached for comment.

UCO was formally notified of the specific allegations on Aug. 2. UCO spokesman Charlie Johnson said the school has fully cooperated with the NCAA. All of the allegations occurred during current head football coach Chuck Langston's tenure. Langston could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

UCO opens its football season Sept. 1 at home against Abilene Christian. The Bronchos went 5-6 last season, Langston's fourth year at the school. Langston has a 25-18 record at UCO, replacing longtime coach Gary Howard, who was fired in 2002.

Langston played on the offensive line at the University of Oklahoma from 1992-1995. He was a graduate assistant under former OU coach John Blake in 1996. He came to UCO in 2002 after a three-year stint as a head coach at Trinity Junior College in Athens, Texas, where he compiled a 19-13 record. Former OU basketball coach Kelvin Sampson recommended UCO hire Langston. In November, athletic director Bill Farley told The Oklahoman the school would stick with its football coach.

"We stand by all of our employees at a time when they are under an allegations-only situation,” Farley said.

UCO has until Nov. 2 to answer the allegations. The NCAA Committee on Infractions will consider the response during its meeting Dec. 7-9 in Indianapolis. "Up until we received the letter containing the allegations, our role was to cooperate with their investigations,” Johnson said. "After we received the letter, UCO began an internal investigation.”

Rose State Vice President of Business Affairs Keith Ogans said UCO did enroll student athletes at the school over that time period. Ogans said there was no video surveillance footage of UCO coaches paying for classes.

"We know the classes were paid for but who paid for them is something we can't attest to,” he said. "We do know the bills were paid in cash.” Ogans said payment for classes in cash wasn't unusual.

Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz receiver Fred Shaw lettered at UCO in 2004 and 2005. He said he knew of student athletes taking classes at Rose State but was unaware who paid for them.

UCO blotted out names of coaches and administrators in the report, obtained under the state Open Records Act. University officials claim state law allows the removal of names of administrators and coaches because it's part of a personnel investigation.

The decision was based on university lawyers and the state attorney general's office, UCO spokesman Charles Johnson said in an e-mail.

It's unclear whether that's true. The Open Records Act allows a public body to keep documents relating to internal personnel investigations from the public. But the law prohibits agencies from removing documents that are otherwise public just because officials are using them in an investigation.

Joey Senat, an Oklahoma State University media law professor, questions whether UCO can make such redactions because the report was created by the NCAA, not UCO.

"If the whole thing is an investigation, why hand any of it out? If they think that's a public record, then the names are a public record,” Senat said.

Senat also pointed out that UCO is choosing to keep the names from the public. Even if UCO could redact the names, nothing in the law requires that.

The allegationsIn a letter to University of Central Oklahoma officials, the NCAA alleges:

•UCO failed to exercise institutional control over its football program.

•More than 80 athletes had their tuition paid by UCO for remedial classes at Rose State College.

•Athletes received cash to pay for lifeguard classes.

•An athlete received $200 cash from a UCO athletics department official.

•The athletic department provided and arranged for transportation to classes at Rose State.

•Football players got free housing, food, transportation and use of facilities when they were not enrolled full-time.

•The athletic department paid for surgery for an athlete prior to enrollment.

•The athletic department provided sports medicine treatment for athletes prior to their enrollment.

•UCO failed to record countable hours of athletic related activities, which are limited by the NCAA.

•Athletic department members engaged in athletic activities outside the playing season by being present at a seven-on-seven scrimmage.