Pitt Panthers Men's Basketball And Football Teams Commit NCAA Coaching Violations

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The University of Pittsburgh is in trouble with the NCAA.

The NCAA reports level II violations committed by the Men's basketball and football teams from August 2015 to March 2018.

READ: Full Feb. 2020 University of Pittsburgh Public Negotiated Resolution

The violations include:

• Between June 2016 and March 2018, the former head men's basketball coach instructed and permitted non-coaching staff members to regularly perform NCAA-defined coaching duties that included providing coaching instruction to men's basketball student-athletes at practice, leading film review sessions with student-athletes and providing coaching input at halftime of competitions. As a result, the men's basketball program exceeded the permissible number of countable coaches.
• At the direction of the former head coach, the men's basketball program actively attempted to hide the violations and intentionally deleted practice film to avoid detection of such violations.
• Between May 2017 and September 2017, the men's basketball program produced personalized recruiting videos for 12 men's basketball prospective student-athletes, showing the videos to prospects during their visits to campus.
• Between August 2015 and November 2017, the head football coach was present at the football practice facility when three quality control members engaged in impermissible coaching activities, which included occasionally throwing footballs and holding play cards for the scout teams during practices. As a result, the football program exceeded the permissible number of countable coaches.
• The head football coach asked a quality control staff member to help out during a segment of practice drills occurring between October 22, 2017, and November 23, 2017. As a result, the football program exceeded the permissible number of countable coaches.

As a result of these violations, the Pitt Athletic Department has been placed on probation for three years, ending on February 19, 2023. The University will not be subject to any scholarship reductions or postseason restrictions in either sport.

Former Head Basketball Kevin Stallings received a three-year show cause for recruiting violations as well.

"Former Pitt head coach Kevin Stallings has received a show cause for recruiting violations, per the NCAA."

"The head coaches of both programs — in this case, Pat Narduzzi and, while unnamed in the report, Kevin Stallings — allowed non-staff members to perform coaching duties, resulting in the program exceeding the number of permissible coaches."

"Pitt Athletics is steadfastly committed to integrity and NCAA rules compliance," Athletic Director Heather Lyke said. "A reflection of that strong commitment is the fact that, upon discovering these violations, we immediately provided a self-report to the NCAA and began a cooperative and thorough review. While disappointed in the violations, I am confident that our already-strong culture of compliance will help each of our programs avoid such situations in the future."

"The NCAA and Pitt have announced a negotiated resolution agreement in regards to the coaching violations. As a result, here are the penalties for both programs. Mostly minor stuff."

"As head coach of the University of Pittsburgh football program, I am wholeheartedly committed to following NCAA rules and preventing these types of issues from happening again," head football coach Pat Narduzzi said. "I fully recognize my responsibility in what occurred and, equally important, how those missteps will be corrected as we proceed forward."

In:
• Football
• NCAA