What’s the NCAA’s deal with Florida State?
The NCAA just blasted the Seminoles program with some hefty penalties related to NIL and recruiting, according to a Thursday evening press release from the association.
Becoming one of the first punishments in college football’s new era, an FSU assistant coach has been suspended for three games and also hit with a show cause penalty for two years. The Associated Press is reporting that the assistant coach is offensive coordinator Alex Atkins.
This whole situation originates from a meeting that was held between a Florida State-associated booster and transfer player. The booster apparently offered the athlete an NIL opportunity worth a total of $15,000/month if he decided to become a Seminole, according to the NCAA’s release. In the association’s rules, it’s considered an inducement to play.
The NCAA had an issue with Atkins setting up the meeting between the player and booster, who was an NIL collective CEO at the time, with the coach not attending, according to the athletes’ parents, per OutKick. (RELATED: Say What You Want About ESPN, But They Went All Out For Their Employees With This 13-Year Emmy Scheme: REPORT)
Following the school agreeing with the claims of the NCAA investigation and Atkins admitting that he lied to investigators at one point, the Seminoles have been placed on probation for two years.
Also, for a total of three years, Florida State University is not allowed to associate with the booster, while also being forced to keep away from the collective for one year. And on top of all that, FSU will be losing five scholarships over two years.
But that’s not all!
The Noles are also getting seven official visits taken from them, and in a punishment that’s already been served, Atkins was banned from recruiting off the campus of Florida State during Fall 2023.
The Florida State Football experience every day since December 3rd pic.twitter.com/3pB3oLfLtH
— Dillon Riera (@13d_riera) January 12, 2024
And here’s the kicker … they’re getting slammed with all of this punishment for what literally EVERYBODY else does.