NCAA gives LSU 1-year probation

Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La.

LSU committed major violations while recruiting a junior college football player, but won’t be slapped with any postseason bans or future scholarship reductions, the NCAA ruled Tuesday. The governing body decided to place the school on probation for a year and cited a former assistant coach for unethical conduct.

The investigation found that ex-assistant coach D.J. McCarthy improperly arranged for transportation and housing for former defensive lineman Akiem Hicks in 2009, then later tried to cover up those actions.

The NCAA accepted LSU’s self-imposed reduction of two scholarships during the 2010-11 academic year, as well as a 10 percent reduction in official visits and reductions in recruiting calls. LSU already had begun reducing official visits during 2010-11, but the NCAA expanded the punishment to include 2011-12.

McCarthy resigned in December 2009. Hicks never played for the Tigers before he left LSU.

NCAA Committee on Infractions chairman Dennis Thomas said LSU’s violations all were considered “major.”