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The funny thing is that what the NCAA may need to do to preserve its credibility (punish USC) may be at odds with what it needs to do to preserve its integrity. USC investigated Mayo thoroughly before he got on campus. So did the NCAA. USC sent a number of administrators (compliance folks, USC general counsel, and athletics officials) to West Virginia to do due diligence. The NCAA also held a lengthy and involved eligibility hearing on Mayo back in 2007.
If, as is alleged, this has been going on for four years, then the NCAA missed it just as much as USC did. Yet I don't see them sharing our punishment. Both sides did a lot of looking.
While deciding that USC should've done more may please the crowd, it would also be the height of hypocrisy.
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