That sound you hear is LSU athletics preparing to be clubbed

By Ed Daniels
Sports

That sound you hear in the distance is the NCAA throwing the book at LSU.

If you haven’t read the 17-page notice of allegations that LSU released to media outlets who requested it, you should.

The only conclusion you can draw after perusing it is that the hammer is fixing to come down in Baton Rouge.

The university was cited for “lack of institutional control” for its football and men’s basketball programs.

And, not just for a year or two but for more than eight.

Beyond what was already reported about fired men’s basketball coach Will Wade being caught on an FBI wiretap discussing an offer to a recruit, Wade was accused of litany of Level One infractions.

Among those are paying hush money to a person who was familiar with the scheme to pay players.

On July 27, 2017, the former fiancée of a student-athlete sent Wade a text message: “I need 5 more to put a down payment on a car. Put it in the same account.”

When the individual said “5,” she didn’t mean $5.

Wade’s associate head coach is accused of offering a prospective recruit $300,000.

Wade is accused of stonewalling the investigation for 13 months, refusing to turn over 130,000 images on his digital devices. Eventually, the NCAA says only 60,000 were turned in.

The notice of allegations cited aggravating factors, including three prior major violations in 1986, 1998 and 2011.

The NCAA also cited mitigating factors such as prompt acknowledgment of violations, acceptance of responsibility and a history of self-reporting Level III or secondary violations.

What should LSU do now? Exactly what it is doing. Say nothing publicly.

New football coach Brian Kelly already has it figured out. On signing day in February, he didn’t have a press conference. Since he was hired in December, Kelly has been in front of the media once. He has been professional, measured and distant.

As for basketball, a postseason ban is likely coming.

LSU has been down this road before. In 1997, the school hired John Brady, who in three years had LSU in the Sweet 16. Six years later, LSU went to its first Final Four since 1986.

Director of Athletics Scott Woodward will again turn to page one of his hiring coaches playbook. That is, find a high-profile name and throw a boatload of cash at him.

Basketball will be back, but not before the NCAA has its say. In the meantime, the forecast in Baton Rouge is 90% chance of storms, likely severe.

Ed Daniels is sports director at ABC26 WGNO.  ed@nextstar.tv