Frank Haith Suspended 5 Games

Former Miami coach Frank Haith, who is now at Missouri, has been suspended five games for his role in the Nevin Shapiro scandal, the NCAA announced Tuesday.

In addition, the Hurricanes’ men’s program will lose one scholarship annually over the next three years, and former assistant Jorge Fernandez will receive a two-year show-cause penalty.

The entire Miami athletic program has been placed on three years’ probation.

The NCAA released the findings of its investigation into Shapiro’s relationship with Miami athletics on Tuesday. It found that Haith and an assistant coach provided Shapiro $10,000 after he threatened to expose previous improper contact with high school recruits and amateur coaches.

A source with direct knowledge told ESPN.com that Haith won’t appeal the suspension and that the coach wanted to put the whole process behind him, rather than extending the 27-month ordeal even longer and possibly missing games against SEC opponents.

Shapiro initially demanded Haith return a $50,000 donation, but the coach refused. The unidentified assistant then loaned Shapiro $7,000, which he later repaid. The NCAA also found that Haith helped his assistant pay off Shapiro’s mother.

Haith would miss the first five games, all at home: Southeast Louisiana (Nov. 8), Southern Illinois (Nov. 12), Hawaii in Kansas City (Nov. 16), Gardner-Webb (Nov. 23), IUPUI (Nov. 25). The Tigers will decide which assistant — Mark Phelps or Dave Leitao — will be the game coach.

 

The NCAA issued the following penalties to the University of Miami on Tuesday as a result of the Nevin Shapiro case:

• Athletic program placed on three years’ probation

• Loss of nine football scholarships over three-year span (three each year)

• Self-imposed bowl bans in 2011-12, including not participating in 2012 ACC title game

• Loss of three basketball scholarships over three-year span (one each year)

• Former men’s basketball coach Frank Haith (current Missouri coach) suspended for five games

• Former assistants Jorge Fernandez (basketball), Clint Hurtt (football) and Aubrey Hill (football) receive two-year show-cause penalty

• Any staff member who sends an impermissible text to a prospect will be fined a minimum of $100 per message, and coaches involved will be suspended from recruiting activities for seven days

 

Haith would be back on the bench for key nonconference games against Northwestern and Nevada in Las Vegas (Nov. 28-29) and West Virginia (Dec. 5) and UCLA (Dec. 7) at home.

Haith’s penalty is consistent with previous NCAA rulings.

Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett was suspended five West Coast Conference games this season and won’t be allowed to recruit off-campus this season for failing “to promote an atmosphere for compliance,” particularly over the recruiting practices of a former assistant.

Two years ago, the NCAA suspended formerUConn coach Jim Calhoun for failure to create an atmosphere of compliance within the program in regard to recruiting violations by a team manager. That same year, UCF‘s Donnie Jones was suspended three games after the basketball program was found to be involved with runners for sports agents and making cash payments to recruits.

The NCAA decision will affect all of Miami athletics in one way: In all sports, any Hurricanes staff member who sends an impermissible text to a prospect will be fined a minimum of $100 per message, and coaches involved will be suspended from all recruiting activities for seven days. The NCAA said a probe of Miami actually started in 2009, when the school self-reported impermissible telephone calls and texts.

The NCAA’s decision comes 2½ years after the investigation of Miami began. It also comes eight months after the NCAA said the Hurricanes did not “exercise institutional control” over Shapiro’s interactions with the school’s football and men’s basketball teams.

Shapiro is a former booster and convicted felon, serving a 20-year sentence for masterminding a $930 million Ponzi scheme.

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins, speaking at Big 12 media days, said coaches continue to have to “walk a fine line” when dealing with boosters.

“It’s really a double-edged sword because you want your guys to meet some people that are going to be beneficial to them down the road,” Huggins said. “Potential employers, people who have contacts, people who can make calls, people who can be references. At the same time, you’re supposed to stay away from those very people.

“… I think we all walk a fine line. I mean, everybody could sit up here and say ‘We don’t do that,’ and probably knowingly we don’t, but it happens.”

Andy Katz of ESPN.com and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Story courtesy of ESPN.com