Arizona State receives probation for NCAA violations
In addition, four unnamed former university employees received show-cause penalties from 3-10 years in duration. The Sun Devils also had to vacate games in which ineligible players competed, saw scholarships reduced and received recruiting restrictions.
Arizona State, which self-imposed a postseason ban in 2023, remains eligible for bowl games following the 2024 regular season, its first in the Big 12.
Jason Leonard, the executive director of athletics compliance at Oklahoma and chief hearing officer for the NCAA committee on infractions panel, noted Arizona State's cooperation.
"The school's acceptance of responsibility and decision to self-impose meaningful core penalties is a model for all schools to follow and is consistent with the expectations of the NCAA's infractions program," Leonard said in a statement.
The trouble came to pass three years ago when Arizona State reportedly committed violations associated with the recruiting restrictions instituted during the COVID-19 "dead period."
The NCAA stated that Edwards, fired after three games in 2022, committed a "responsibility violation" and that ASU allowed "recruiting inducements, impermissible tryouts" and was found to have committed tampering.
"The COVID dead period rules were created not only for the sake of competitive equity but for the safety and well-being of prospective and enrolled student-athletes and their families," Arizona State president Michael Crow said. "ASU is disappointed and embarrassed by the actions of certain former football staff members who took advantage of a global pandemic to hide their behavior."
There were no further details provided as to the former employees' punishment.
One of those former employees is the school's defensive coordinator at the time, Antonio Pierce, who is now the head coach of the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders.
Two of the four former employees are contesting their cases, the NCAA said, and a decision remains pending until those appeals are heard.
FedEx, Memphis enter $25M NIL partnership
The shipping giant, which launched its operations in Memphis in 1973, has annual revenues of $88 billion.
As part of the initiative, Memphis athletes receiving NIL funding will participate in FedEx initiatives via social media and in person around the city. The company supports events that include the FedEx/St. Jude Championships, the Southern Heritage Classic and the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, all in Memphis.
"We evaluated the evolving NIL landscape, exploring how we can best deliver positive impact to student-athletes and connect them to meaningful opportunities for both themselves and the community and made the decision to reallocate marketing funds to an NIL platform," said Brian Philips, the executive vice president and chief marketing officer at FedEx, in a news release. "This gives us an opportunity to invest in bright, young athletes in our great hometown of Memphis, strengthening our connection to the next generation of leaders."
The program was announced Friday via a social media video that featured both FedEx employees and Memphis athletes.
The first FedEx in-person NIL initiative will be a tailgate event at Memphis' spring football game, featuring the women's soccer team.
Athletic director Laird Veatch told 929 ESPN radio in Memphis on Friday that the contribution includes a clause stipulating a 50 percent match and that the university will launch a campaign to raise $2.5 million per year.
Veatch acknowledged the boost the FedEx partnership will give to his department.
"It does elevate us to a highly competitive NIL space, and it's something that's sustainable at the same time," Veatch said. "If you ask many athletic directors around the country, I don't know that they'd be in a position to say that."
This is not the first partnership between the company and school. The campus has a degree program for FedEx employees and also boasts the FedEx Institute of Technology. Company CEO Fred Smith agreed to donate $50 million from his personal foundation for renovations for the Tigers' football stadium.
Arizona State QB Jaden Rashada entering transfer portal
Rashada posted a message on Instagram thanking his teammates, coaches, strength staff and other support staff at Arizona State.
"With that being said I'll be entering my name in the transfer portal seeking the best fit for my career!" Rashada wrote.
Rashada is a former four-star quarterback prospect in the Class of 2023 best known for flipping his commitment from Miami to Florida -- then requesting release from his national letter of intent when an NIL deal with Florida's collective worth a reported $13 million fell through.
Rashada wound up at Arizona State and got into three games as a freshman, passing for 485 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. He has been out most of the spring after needing thumb surgery.
Georgia is expected to pursue Rashada, On3 and 247Sports reported.
NFL draft hopeful AJ Simon of Albany dead at 25
Simon played four seasons of football at the FCS level -- two at Bloomsburg (2018, 2021) and two at Albany. The native of Pennsylvania had 12.5 sacks for Albany in 2023 and was named to the All-CAA first team.
A cause of death was not released.
"The UAlbany football program was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former student-athlete Amitral ‘AJ' Simon this morning," the team said in a statement. "AJ was a tremendous young man and even better teammate throughout his time at UAlbany. He was a role model both on and off the field, serving as a pillar to this program over the last two years. He will be profoundly missed."
Albany coach Greg Gattuso posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he spent two "joyous" years getting to know Simon as a coach and friend.
"My prayers are dedicated to the Simon family," Gattuso wrote. "I love you AJ and will always have a special place in my heart for #8."
Simon had taken a pre-draft visit to the New England Patriots, NBC Sports reported.
Virginia law allows schools to pay NIL deals to athletes
The legislation, which takes effect on July 1, is the first of its kind in the nation. It makes it illegal for the NCAA to punish any school in Virginia for compensating athletes with NIL deals.
The law potentially could give schools like Virginia and Virginia Tech -- whose officials helped to draft the legislation -- a leg up in recruiting, as current NCAA rules prohibit schools from signing NIL deals with their own players. Currently, students receive their NIL pay through third parties.
Critics consider this another step toward the professionalization of college sports, although the law does not allow Virginia schools to pay athletes for their performance in a sport. It does permit the use of university and athletic department funds to pay athletes for appearing in marketing campaigns.
Virginia athletic director Carla Williams said the new law could be a catalyst for change elsewhere.
"If this law gets us closer to a federal or a national solution for college athletics then it will be more than worthwhile," Williams said, per ESPN. "Until then, we have an obligation to ensure we maintain an elite athletics program at UVA."
Virginia Tech AD Whit Babcock called it "a step in the right direction for the commonwealth of Virginia and the country in my opinion."
Williams and Babcock declined to share their potential NIL budgets with ESPN. Both also said they were looking into Title IX considerations as far as an equitable distribution of NIL opportunities for male and female student-athletes.
Transfer roundup: Colorado CB Cormani McClain enters portal
Tuesday was the first day of the spring transfer window. The portal will remain open for players to enter until April 30.
McClain appeared in nine games for the Buffaloes in 2023, Deion Sanders' first season as Colorado's coach. McClain started four games and finished the season with 13 tackles and two pass breakups.
He was the No. 1 cornerback in the Class of 2023, per the 247Sports composite rankings.
--Miami lost leading rusher Henry Parrish Jr. and backup quarterback Jacurri Brown to the portal.
Parrish gained 625 yards on the ground and scored six touchdowns for the Hurricanes in 2023. Across four seasons with Ole Miss (2020-21) and Miami (2022-23), Parrish amassed 2,057 rushing yards, 56 receptions for 384 yards and 17 total touchdowns (15 rushing).
Brown has seen action in nine games over the past two seasons at Miami. He was likely to rank behind Emory Williams and incoming transfers Cam Ward and Reese Poffenbarger on the QB depth chart.
--Oregon State running back Damien Martinez is officially in the portal, with On3 reporting that he will visit Miami, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arizona.
It was reported last week that Martinez intended to enter the portal. He was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team by rushing for 1,185 yards and nine touchdowns on 194 carries in 12 games last season for an average of 6.1 yards per carry. He recorded six 100-yard games on the ground, with a high of 146 against Stanford.
In two seasons with the Beavers, Martinez had 2,167 rushing yards and 16 TDs on 355 carries in 25 games.
--True freshman offensive lineman Jason Zandamela is looking to transfer from Southern California, 247Sports reported.
Zandamela was the No. 4 interior offensive line prospect in the Class of 2024, per the 247Sports composite. He is a native of Mozambique who played rugby before moving to the United States.
--Kadyn Proctor is back in the portal with a "do not contact" label, multiple reports said, indicating the offensive lineman plans to return to Alabama.
Once a five-star offensive tackle prospect in the Class of 2023, Proctor -- a native of Des Moines, Iowa -- originally committed to Iowa before flipping to Alabama. After spending his freshman season with the Crimson Tide, he entered the portal following coach Nick Saban's decision to retire.
Proctor committed to Iowa during the previous transfer window but announced on March 19 that he would not be staying with the Hawkeyes' program and would re-enter the portal in the spring.
--Former four-star quarterback recruit Tad Hudson plans to transfer out of North Carolina, On3 reported.
Hudson did not see the field as a true freshman in Chapel Hill while backing up Drake Maye, a likely first-round pick in this month's NFL draft.
Michigan agrees to 3-year probation for recruiting violations
Michigan will face recruiting restrictions and pay a fine in relation to violations from five current or former football employees.
The penalties include a one-year show-cause order for all five individuals.
"Today's joint resolution pertains to the University of Michigan Athletic Department and several former and current employees," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement. "We are pleased to reach a resolution on this matter so that our student-athletes and our football program can move forward. We have no additional information and cannot comment further on other aspects of the NCAA's inquiries."
The NCAA said that former coach Jim Harbaugh -- who guided the team to the College Football Playoff title in January -- isn't part in the agreement.
"The agreed-upon violations involve impermissible in-person recruiting contacts during a COVID-19 dead period, impermissible tryouts, and the program exceeding the number of allowed countable coaches when noncoaching staff members engaged in on- and off-field coaching activities (including providing technical and tactical skills instruction to student-athletes)," the NCAA said in a statement.
"The negotiated resolution also involved the school's agreement that the underlying violations demonstrated a head coach responsibility violation and the former football head coach failed to meet his responsibility to cooperate with the investigation. The school also agreed that it failed to deter and detect the impermissible recruiting contacts and did not ensure that the football program adhered to rules for noncoaching staff members."
Harbaugh is now the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.
"I filed a lengthy response to the (Notice of Allegations) on behalf of Coach Harbaugh, which unfortunately hasn't been made public and will probably never see the light of day," Tom Mars, Harbaugh's attorney, told ESPN. "That concluded Coach Harbaugh's participation in the case."
Harbaugh served a three-game suspension at the beginning of the 2023 season after the NCAA felt he made false statements during the investigation. Then-offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore served a one-game suspension. Moore is now the Wolverines' head coach.
Tuesday's developments are unrelated to the Michigan sign-stealing investigation. That case is ongoing. Harbaugh also served a three-game suspension in that case.
