Ohio State AD Gene Smith talks about NCAA ruling, didn't think bowl ban was possible
Published: Tuesday, December 20, 2011
By Doug Lesmerises, The Plain Dealer
COLUMBUS - Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith told the Plain Dealer in an interview today that there was a miscalculation by the school in not anticipating a bowl ban from the NCAA, but even given that knowledge, he wanted this year's team to experience a bowl, so he accepts the reality that the ban will come in 2012.
"Had this team come to me and said we don't want to play in a bowl at the end of the season, that would have factored in, but that's not what we had here," Smith said. "These young men fought through adversity. I know that Buckeye Nation is all about next year and looking forward to winning a national championship, and that is right.
"But when you think about Michael Brewster and Andrew Sweat and those young people, you don't want to deny them that opportunity. We have young people who have earned that right to play in a bowl. I know our fans want to see us in a BCS bowl and winning national championships, and they are a great support group, but at the end of the year these young men earned this right to play in a Jan. 2 game."
So Smith said self-imposing a bowl ban for 2011 never crossed his mind, believing strongly that a bowl ban would not be in line based on past precedent.
"I never thought about this year," Smith said. "I was pretty confident, frankly, when you look at the way we looked at the facts and considered things. That's why I'm so surprised and disappointed. But when you looked at it the way we did, we didn't think it was possible."
The NCAA cited two cases from 2002 and 2003 in its decision to impose a bowl ban, factoring the school's failure to monitor to charge in with its status as a repeat violator under NCAA rules, and the fact that suspended players were allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl last year while then-coach Jim Tressel hid his knowledge of NCAA violations.
Smith said Ohio State's research focused on more recent cases, and the school did not expect cases from eight and nine years ago to be used in the NCAA's reasoning.
Asked whether he was worried about his job at Ohio State, given the last 12 months and the outcome of the NCAA case, Smith said, "President Gee has been very supportive of me and I come to work every day and do the best job I can. The president makes that ultimate decision, and he's been very supportive of me."
Smith said he talked with new football coach Urban Meyer at length today about the ruling. Smith said of next season "we're making sure that we're moving forward the right way. We have 12 outstanding games next year, eight at home, so he's excited about that still."
