SMU Death Penalty Essay

Pressure to create a successful team runs high in the world of NCAA Football, often leading to immoral and illegal behavior by school programs. SMU fell victim to the pressures leading to illegal payments towards players. When discovered, the NCAA placed the "death penalty" on SMU and changed recruitment policies in an effort to cut down on abuses by colleges. SMU has forever been affected by the 1 year suspension having only 2 winning seasons since 1986-1988 (SMU Death Penalty). There actions have surely changed recruiting at the college level tremendously.

The Mustangs were known as a “repeat” team when it came to breaking violations. The NCAA investigated them several times before the big incident, but had no major punishment because the

NCAA Board Members not only put the Mustangs on a 1 season suspension, but on multiple restrictions. Could only practice with a helmet on, only conditioning, recruitments to SMU had to be on campus, the previous coaching staff had to be fired, only five full time assistant coaches, and the football program was put on probation until 1990. Besides punishing the program the NCAA felt a dyer need to make the recruiting rules stricter. Any suspicion of illegal payments a team was put on probation until it was cleared and recruiting went more through the NCAA instead of the college. Needless to say, after the SMU incident the NCAA had no nice side to violations anymore. Trusted Board Members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association check on colleges very often to inspect recruitment plans along with other things to make sure no Division One football program was making illegal

It is because of Ron Meyer and the Mustangs that the NCAA made their rules stricter, it is because of them that the University was affected negatively and shamed. Ron Meyer along with the others of the coaching staff impacted the history of the program at SMU. Since the 1986 suspension from the NCAA and the 1987 suspension from SMU the Mustangs have only had two winning seasons (SMU Death Penalty). Because of the desire to create the finest football team in america, SMU’s football program as a whole has single handedly forever altered how NCAA operates. Within a 10 year span, SMU illegally paid over 50 incoming freshman, and for that NCAA’s rules and attitude towards these conflicts were vital to the future of college football. The “Death Penalty” has been one of the most known sports conflicts in history not only because of the conflict, but because the outcome and effect on NCAA and all of america as well. The football program at SMU has forever been affected because of the 10 years of slush funds that were taken from