Tulsa World: NCAA ruling: OSU's Bryant won't be allowed to return this season

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NCAA ruling: OSU's Bryant won't be allowed to return this season

Dez Bryant won't be back this season for the Cowboys. STEPHEN HOLMAN/Tulsa World

By Staff Reports
Published: 10/27/2009 8:03 PM
Last Modified: 10/28/2009 12:45 AM

Sports Editor Mike Strain’s blog: Why would the NCAA’s punishment of Dez Bryant be so severe?

Documents: Read the correspondence between OSU and the NCAA on the Dez Bryant case.
Read the apology letter from Dez Bryant to the NCAA.

Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant won't return this football season.

According to a press release from the school, the NCAA has ruled that Bryant, a junior All-America receiver, will remain suspended for one calendar year and can be reinstated in September 2010.

Bryant was suspended by the NCAA for lying about a meeting with former NFL star Deion Sanders during a trip to Dallas this year. Sanders met Bryant for a light workout and dinner at Sanders' home.

When interviewed by the NCAA about the situation, Bryant denied meeting Sanders. Bryant later acknowledged the meeting and said he panicked when the NCAA was asking questions. Bryant feared he had broken rules, when in fact OSU officials state that if any rules were broken they were minor.

The NCAA ruled that when Bryant lied, he violated NCAA Bylaw 10.1 -- a rule regarding ethics and conduct. Bryant has been suspended for the Cowboys' previous four games, beginning with the Sept. 26 matchup with Grambling State.

The NCAA issued a press release tonight about Bryant with the following headline: "NCAA REINSTATES OKLAHOMA STATE FOOTBALL STUDENT-ATHLETE."

In the press release, the NCAA stated that it considers three primary criteria for reinstatement of an athlete for cases involving unethical conduct violations:

* "... Whether the student-athlete actively and deliberately concealed, omitted or provided inaccurate or false information."

* "Second, the staff must consider whether the student-athlete had multiple opportunities to correct or provide the accurate information."

* "Finally, the staff must consider if the student-athlete provided inaccurate or false information to the NCAA enforcement or amateurism certification staff."

According to documents from OSU, Bryant was interviewed by an NCAA investigator on July 24 and Sept. 15 of this year and Bryant denied the meeting with Sanders. On Sept. 24, the NCAA conducted an interview with Sanders, in which he revealed the meeting with Bryant. On Sept. 30, Bryant's legal representative notified OSU that Bryant had met with Sanders.

In OSU's appeal to the NCAA for Bryant's reinstatement this month, the university stated that Bryant's "personal life and upbringing were extremely difficult." The information detailing Bryant's background was redacted.

The NCAA's press release tonight indicated that OSU's appeal helped Bryant regain his eligibility for next season. The press release stated that the guideline for withholding student-athletes for violating the NCAA ethical conduct and preferential treatment rules "ranges from 50 percent to permanent ineligibility...

"Although the committee has indicated that student-athletes should not be reinstated when these factors apply, the staff determined relief is warranted based on the mitigating factors presented by the university," the NCAA release stated.

Oklahoma State officials and Bryant went to NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis to appeal for Bryant's reinstatement on Oct. 13.

As part of the appeals process, OSU noted that Bryant's trip to Sanders' home "does not constitute an NCAA violation."

OSU also noted that when Sanders and Bryant jogged together at a workout facility in the Dallas area, it would be "classified as a preferential treatment case with minimal value due to the isolated occurrence and limited amount of time at Fieldhouse USA during this encounter."

Part of OSU's appeal also included a written statement from Bryant, in which he opened by stating "I am very, very sorry that I did not tell the truth..."

Bryant concluded by writing: "This has been the hardest (sic) that has happened to me in my life and I hope and pray that I can learn from this, I know I can and I can also help others by telling them what happened to me and why it is so important to be totally honest."

It's possible Bryant won't play again for Oklahoma State. As a junior, he's eligible for entry in the 2010 NFL Draft in April. Bryant has been projected by draft analysts as a high first-round pick. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper projects Bryant as the No. 9 player overall.

If Bryant elects to enter the draft, he must notify the NFL of his intentions by Jan. 15.

By Staff Reports

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COMMENTS

Reader comments for this story have been moved to the most updated version of the story, now under the headline "Bryant will not return in 2009," which was published on 10/28/2009. So far, 93 comments have been made.

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