When the NCAA penalized the school in July 2012, the punishment included four years' worth of limits on how many scholarships Penn State could offer to new recruits. Instead of 25 per year, the scholarships were cut to 15. That put Penn State at a disadvantage when it came to competing for the nation's best players.
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As a result of the scandal, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) imposed sanctions on the Penn State football program: a $60 million fine, a four-year postseason ban, scholarship reductions, and a vacation of all victories from 1998 to 2011.
July 23, 2012On July 23, 2012, the NCAA's unprecedented sanctions were announced. It vacated Penn State football's wins from 1998-2011 and levied a $60 million fine against the school. It banned Penn State from the post-season for four years and reduced football scholarships from 25 to 15 for four years.
Penn State's postseason ban over STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Penn State will be eligible for the postseason this year and will have all its scholarships returned next year, after the NCAA agreed Monday afternoon to again reduce sanctions stemming from the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.
NCAA sanction powers are narrow in that they extend only to member institutions, not to individual coaches, players, agents, boosters, or other involved individuals. The sanctions are broad in that they negatively impact current student-athletes, who are restricted in their ability to transfer without penalty.
Former Penn State defensive coordinator Gerald "Jerry" Sandusky was found guilty of sexual abuse, convicted of 45 out of 48 counts on Friday, June 22. He was accused of sexually abusing 10 boys over a 15-year period in a scandal that has rocked the university's community.
It levied a fine of $60 million against Penn State, banned the team from postseason play for four years and reduced its football scholarships for that span. It also vacated all of Penn State's football victories from 1998 to 2011, costing Paterno 111 wins, and put the program on probation for five years.
Most NCAA Infractions: The Record No Team Wants To HoldSouthern Methodist (SMU):Eight, all football.Arizona State:Eight, mostly baseball.Auburn:Seven, mixed bag of violations, biggest were football.Florida State: Seven academic scandals mostly involving all sports. ... Oklahoma:Seven, five were football related.
Level I violations are severe, and they seriously undermine or threaten the integrity of the NCAA collegiate model, the association's rulebook says. They provide substantial or extensive recruiting advantages, major competitive advantages or impermissible benefits.
This is the NCAA's description of Level III infractions: Violations that are isolated or limited in nature; provide no more than a minimal recruiting, competitive or other advantage; and do not include more than a minimal impermissible benefit.
But starting in the 2016-17 academic year, the NCAA now says, Penn State can again have up to 85 individuals (new players and returnees) receiving football scholarships.
He's been sentenced to at least 30 years in prison.
Citing what it says has been "Penn State's continued progress toward ensuring athletics integrity," the NCAA said Tuesday that it is gradually restoring the football scholarships the school lost in the aftermath of the child sex abuse scandal involving former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.
The other penalties levied on Penn State included a $60 million fine to fund child abuse programs. That is not being lifted or reduced. The NCAA also has not lifted a four-year ban on postseason play imposed on the school.