Penalties upheld for UK, ‘Bama

Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2002 | 9:08 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

Alabama and Kentucky, a combined 5-1 this season, continued their losing streaks against the NCAA.

The NCAA's Division I Infractions Appeals Committee announced Tuesday that it was upholding the findings and sanctions against Alabama and Kentucky by the NCAA's Committee on Infractions.

In addition to scholarship reductions and recruiting limitations, Alabama was banned from bowl games for this season and next, and Kentucky was banned from the postseason this year. Both teams' strong starts had led to hope that the appeals committee would lift the bowl bans for this season.

Alabama representatives were particularly incensed by the infractions committee's ruling last February. Even after the appeals decision, 'Bama backers remained defiant and disgusted by the NCAA's legal process.

"These penalties, and particularly the two-year bowl ban, are unprecedented," Alabama independent counsel Robert T. Cunningham Jr. said.

The NCAA placed Alabama on five years' probation and took away 21 scholarships over the next three seasons for violations that included a plan by rogue boosters to give $100,000 and a sport utility vehicle to the coach of a top high school recruit.

The committee on infractions placed Kentucky on three years' probation, and stripped it of 19 scholarships, citing a lack of institutional control and more than three dozen recruiting violations.

Dr. Chris Kaeding, a team doctor, said it was "unlikely but not outside the realm of possibility" that Clarett could play this weekend.

Clarett was injured in the first quarter against Washington State last Saturday, coach Jim Tressel said. Despite the injury, Clarett ran for 230 yards and two touchdowns as the sixth-ranked Buckeyes beat the Cougars 25-7.

Ford, who suffered the injury in preseason drills, hasn't played in two of the three games this season. He ran for 52 yards against Connecticut, then complained afterward about a headache, Yellow Jackets coach Chan Gailey said.

Ford didn't dress for last Saturday's game against Clemson.

"We're trying to be real careful with him," Gailey said.

Williams, a junior, was injured late in the fourth quarter of Tulane's 24-20 loss to East Carolina on Saturday. Before the injury, Williams had his top performance of the season with 10 catches for 87 yards. He was selected the team's offensive player of the week by Tulane coaches.

Tulane will apply for a medical hardship waiver for Williams.