LSU responds to NCAA

BATON ROUGE - LSU submitted on Friday its official response to questions posed by the NCAA as a result of an internal investigation launched in the fall of 2009 in the sport of football.

LSU received an NCAA Notice of Allegations in December 2010. In issuing the Notice, the NCAA did not add any allegations to those previously self-reported by LSU following its own internal investigation.

The Notice contained seven basic allegations and asked for additional information from the university pertaining to each. The university's response is contained in a 126-page document that was delivered to the NCAA on Friday. The NCAA Committee on Infractions will consider LSU's response during its April 15-17 meetings.

"I am confident we have been thorough in our response to the NCAA and I remain pleased with the way our athletics compliance staff has handled this process from the very start," said LSU Chancellor Michael Martin. "It shows LSU's commitment to following the rules of the NCAA. We look forward to bringing this process to a conclusion."

The first four allegations of the Notice involved alleged violations in the recruitment of one student-athlete by one assistant coach in four areas: (1) transportation; (2) free lodging with a student worker during an unofficial visit; (3) discounted lodging in a former student-athlete's apartment; and (4) impermissible telephone calls. The fifth allegation involved impermissible phone calls made by non-coaching football staff members.

The sixth and seventh allegations concerned alleged unethical conduct by the student-athlete and the assistant coach, both of whom are no longer with the university. The coach left the university after the 2009 season and the student-athlete, who never participated in an athletic contest for LSU, left the university prior to the 2010 spring semester.

LSU began an internal investigation in September 2009 and subsequently delivered its findings in two reports to the NCAA, the first in March 2010 and the second in October 2010. In December 2010 and in the response delivered Friday, LSU proposed self-imposed restrictions on its football program as a result of the internal investigation.

LSU will work with the SEC and NCAA toward a resolution of this matter, and will continue its efforts to monitor and ensure compliance with NCAA and SEC rules and regulations.