UM Expected to Declare 12 Players Ineligible

Miami could declare players investigated by NCAA ineligible to force a ruling on reinstatement before season opener

With the NCAA still investigating claims of impermissible benefits made by disgraced booster Nevin Shapiro, the University of Miami could declare a dozen football players ineligible in order to force a ruling on their reinstatement before the season opener against Maryland on September 5.

Citing unnamed sources, the Miami Herald reported Wednesday night that UM "is expected to declare" the 12 (or maybe more) football players ineligible. Allowing the players to continue practicing with the team could lead to harsher penalties should any of the players be found guilty of violating NCAA rules.

"If those players aren't first declared ineligible, then reinstated, before they participate and they're found to have violated rules, the school will be in much deeper trouble," a source told the Herald.

Should UM declare any of the players ineligible, it will then petition the NCAA for their reinstatement. This does not automatically mean they will be reinstated without any suspensions, but that is a possibility.

With so many players' eligibility up in the air, head coach Al Golden has yet to finalize the team's depth chart for the Maryland game.

Golden says "we really don't know what the future brings," but he expects to find out quickly if suspensions against players are warranted.

All the players involved are able to practice with the team. None of the implicated players have been available for comment.

The 12 players under investigation, all named in Yahoo! Sports' expose on Shapiro's claims, include quarterback Jacory Harris; receivers Travis Benjamin and Aldarius Johnson; defensive tackle Marcus Forston; safeties Ray-Ray Armstrong and Vaughn Telemaque; defensive ends Adewale Ojomo and Olivier Vernon; linebackers Sean Spence and Marcus Robinson; cornerback JoJo Nicolas; and tight end Dyron Dye.

So besides one of the two potential starting quarterbacks, over half the starting defense could be forced to sit out practice while the Canes wait on a reinstatement ruling from the NCAA. That should be plenty to keep Canes fans awake all night, regardless of the rest of the NCAA's ongoing investigation.

On Monday UM president Donna Shalala said 15 players are under investigation, including the twelve above, basketball player DeQuan Jones, and two as-yet unnamed athletes.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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