Well, at least now we know what the NCAA actually claimed that Arizona did.
The AU released the NCAA Notice of Allegations last fall on Friday night after an Arizona Superior Court judge ruled this week in favor of a lawsuit filed by ESPN. It includes reports of five Level I infractions, considered the most serious, most of which have already been reported:
- Unethical recruitment conduct by former assistant coaches Book Richardson and brand Phelps.
- Richardson’s unethical conduct for taking $ 20,000 in bribes, for which Richardson was arrested; he pleaded guilty to a federal bribery charge and was sentenced to 3 months in prison.
- Phelps’ unethical conduct by asking a UA player (Keanu Pinder) to exclude texts related to an unacceptable $ 500 loan that he had provided him and also to lie to investigators.
- Head coach’s responsibility for Sean Miller for failing to demonstrate, he promoted compliance.
- Lack of institutional control against Arizona for the actions of the men’s basketball and swimming programs. The swimming program is accused of two Level II violations.
Phelps and Richardson are accused of numerous recruitment violations, including allegations that Phelps hired other student-athletes to help him recruit certain candidates.
Phelps and Pinder were suspended for unspecified reasons in November 2017, and in February 2019, Phelps was placed on administrative leave and eventually fired. This was supposedly due to helping the then AU to commit Shareef O’Neal with an online class.
What is not in the NOA is related to the February 2018 reports, but ESPN alleging that Miller was caught in a federal wiretapping (which came from the FBI investigation that led to Richardson’s arrest) discussing a $ 100,000 payment for ensure Deandre Ayton would play for Arizona.
Miller denied the charge and said in March 2018 that he never intentionally violated NCAA rules. All mentions about him at NOA are related to his oversight of the program and the lack of proper monitoring by Phelps and Richardson.
The UA self-imposed a post-season ban this year in December, at the time saying it was a proactive measure in response to the fact that its assistant coaches misbehaved, but otherwise the school remained silent on the issue. .
The AU has also been silent about Miller’s future since the 2020-21 season ended on Monday. Athletic Director Dave Heeke made some general statements about him and the school president Dr. Robert Robbins planning to have discussions with Miller, but that’s it.
Miller, who has 302-109 over 12 seasons in Arizona, has a year left on the contract he signed in 2017.