The NCAA finalized its punishment for Syracuse University Friday, after a decade of violations for the Orange.
From the NCAA official statement.
The penalties without a doubt will leave a dark mark on legendary head coach Jim Boeheim’s coaching legacy (966–327). For almost a decade the Orange went on without reporting drug testing, academic misconduct, and impermissible benefits from boosters, all under Boeheim’s watch.
Boeheim pulled a fast one on the NCAA when he self-imposed a ban on Syracuse from the NCAA tournament earlier this year, and even though they did not realistically have a chance of making the tournament field anyway, the NCAA bought it.
After looking through the list of penalties, they seem light, even though there are numerous sanctions being imposed. This is also considering how harsh the NCAA has come down on some programs (i.e. Tennessee).
To have all this go on for eight years and to only lose 12 scholarships over the next four years would kill most programs. Syracuse can limit the effect of that penalty if they keep their monster 2015 recruiting class (4 in the top 100). Adding an additional 1-2 players a year of that caliber as well, and the Orange should be able to nullify that sanction.
Missing the first nine games of ACC play next year will be a struggle, but Syracuse looks like a team that can be dangerous next season. Even without Boeheim on the sidelines, they should be able to compete in those games.
At the end of the day, it seems like the punishment is fairly light. Syracuse and Boeheim will be fine for the foreseeable future, even though it has stained his legacy. Boeheim will not lose any sleep over this, especially with the future recruiting classes coming in.
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