Kirk Ferentz blasts NCAA for decision on gambling-related suspensions, impact on Noah Shannon

Wednesday night, the NCAA announced its long-awaited decision on reinstatement for athletes suspended for gambling. Under the new guidelines, athletes who wager on teams at their school will be reinstated after one season of ineligibility and a loss of a year of eligibility.

For Iowa star Noah Shannon, that means his career is over — and Kirk Ferentz didn’t hold back with his thoughts in a statement on the decision.

“I am heartbroken for Noah and his family that the NCAA has come to this conclusion,” Ferentz said, via ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. “Noah did not break any laws. he did not commit any crimes. And yet he is being severely over-punished by a membership committee that refuses to see perspective or use common sense. I have said many times that I think it is peculiar that the state of Iowa is uniquely the focus of this investigation. Noah is being sidelined because the NCAA is ruling on an investigation that they did not instigate, using an uneven system of justice to severely punish an excellent young man. It is just wrong.”

A sixth-year senior, Shannon was a starter for Iowa the last two seasons. Last year, he had 44 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks as he cemented himself as a key part of the defense. However, he found himself in the middle of a gambling investigation into the program, which resulted in the suspension.

Shannon got caught up in the investigation over the summer and backed out of Big Ten Media Days as a result. He tried to appeal the suspension, but it was denied by the NCAA. Now, with Wednesday’s announcement, his college career has come to an end.

“To be clear, Division I members do not encourage student-athletes to engage in sports wagering at any level, and the actions today to modify reinstatement conditions should not be interpreted as support for wagering behaviors,” said Jon Steinbrecher, chair of the Council Coordination Committee and commissioner of the MAC, in a statement. “NCAA members continue to prioritize integrity of competition and felt that reinstatement conditions for violations of wagering rules should reflect that focus and, when possible, also accommodate opportunities for preventative education.”

In May, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission launched an investigation into Iowa Athletics that alleged 26 athletes across multiple teams — football, men’s basketball, baseball, men’s track and field, and wrestling — violated NCAA rules. A full-time Iowa athletics employee was also implicated. The investigation does not include current or former coaches. Noah Shannon was the first Iowa player named in the investigation.