Oklahoma Issues Statement Regarding NCAA Ruling

Statement from OU President David L. Boren: "It is appropriate that the action taken today by the NCAA does not limit the ability of our football team to succeed in the upcoming or future seasons." "In light of all the circumstances surrounding this case and as a matter of principle, the university has decided to appeal two elements of this decision - the penalty of erasing the 2005 season record and the finding of failure to monitor. Any mistakes made by the athletics department compliance staff while monitoring would not have prevented the intentional wrongdoing by the student athletes and the employer involved. The university developed the evidence of wrongdoing by the players and employer and took immediate action. Myles Brand, President of the NCAA said at the time, `.... I want to compliment the university insofar as that they took immediate action once they completed their internal investigation.'" "Above all, we do not believe that erasing the 2005 season from the record books is fair to the over 100 student athletes and coaches who played by the rules and worked their hearts out for a successful season that year." "The University remains strongly committed to setting the highest possible standards for our athletics program. We are continuing to enhance our compliance system, which includes the action taken last year to house the comprehensive compliance program in the Office of the General Counsel of the university."

Statement from OU Head Football Coach Bob Stoops: "I strongly support President Boren's statement and position, and I appreciate his support of our program. Our current team is focused on the upcoming season. The university is dealing with a matter that relates to the 2005 season. This group of players and those that will join our program later have no reason to be concerned about our goals or the direction of our program. Those things remain unchanged. We remain a program that is concentrated on winning championships and my expectation is that we will compete on that level for many years."

Labels: Appeal, Bob Stoops, Oklahoma Sooners, University of Oklahoma