Ohio State vacates 2010 football wins, Sugar Bowl
Friday, July 8, 2011 7:55 PM EDT
They had frequented a tattoo parlor and had sold autographs, signed equipment, championship rings and even a bowl sportsmanship award — all contrary to NCAA bylaws which prevent athletes from profiting off their name or fame.
Then in January, the university learned that Tressel had known about the violations since April 2010. After backing him for weeks, the university pressured him to resign on Memorial Day.
Smith said a continual drumbeat of revelations and allegations all but forced Ohio State to "separate" from Tressel. He said he was stunned when he learned of Tressel's deception.
"In the moment, yes, I felt betrayed. Why not bring that to me?" Smith said. "But I've gone on."
Officials said Friday they believed they'd uncovered all possible violations by football players.
"You never know, but we've done a lot of due diligence," said John Bruno, faculty athletics representative. "We looked weeks to months to find something else and nothing has come up."
Pryor was among the original group of players who was suspended for the first five games of this year. But he left OSU to try his luck in the NFL soon after Tressel quit. The NCAA added a five-game suspension for yet another player earlier this week.
The current Buckeyes almost seem to be expecting more severe penalties.
"We're only promised 12 games," safety Orhian Johnson said this week.
Interim coach Luke Fickell said his players, in the midst of summer conditioning, have accepted many of the changes he has implemented in the program but no one knows how they'll respond when the sanctions are finalized.
"I think they're buying in but you don't know," he said. "Until other adversity and other situations happen, you'll see what happens."
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