Report: Progress made in NCAA infractions case vs. LSU

The LSU Tigers could receive a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA soon, according to a new report from SportsIllustrated. Sources indicated to SI that the NCAA’s Independent Accountability Review Process (IARP) is nearing completion on LSU’s long-standing alleged infractions.

There has been a lot of back and forth between LSU head basketball coach Will Wade’s council and the committee but the case has still taken months to investigate.

LSU has also requested information multiple times from the “Complex Case Unit” whether they will proceed with one infractions case or several. The athletics department is in hot water for basketball and football.

The IARP has been called “inefficient,” “bloated,” and “inexperienced,” since the NCAA passed the LSU case on to the newly-formed committee in Sept. of 2020. However, due to the IARP’s procedures, there will be no opportunity to appeal by the university or individual parties, so the saga is near its end.

Also approaching milestones or closures with the NCAA are cases involving NC State, Oklahoma State and Auburn.

Infractions committee closing in on Will Wade case

Many have been dumbfounded as to how Will Wade managed to hold on to his job with the Tigers. He was caught on tape discussing a “strong ass offer” to agent Chris Dawkins to land point guard Jovante Smart. Smart was the top high school basketball player in the state of Louisiana at the time.

Wade held on to his job but had to amend his contract. The school can now fire him for cause if he is charged with a major violation.

The HBO documentary, The Scheme, covered the FBI investigation into Wade’s alleged infractions and included tapes of his conversations with Dawkins.

“I was thinking last night on this Smart thing, I’ll be honest with you, I’m fucking tired of dealing with this thing,” Wade said. “Like, I’m tired of dealing with this fucking shit. What do you think? ‘Cause I went to him with a strong ass offer about a month ago. Fucking strong.

“Now, the problem was, I know why he didn’t take it now, it was tilted toward the family a little bit,” Wade continued. “But I mean, it was a fucking hell of an offer. Like, a hell of an offer. Especially for a kid that’s going to be a two- or three-year kid. I’ve made deals for as good a players as him that were a lot simpler than this.”

Tigers split with Ed Orgeron

The Tigers did not show Ed Orgeron the same deference they’ve shown Will Wade since the start of NCAA proceedings.

LSU AD Scott Woodward fired Orgeron on Sunday after a 3-3 start to the season. It was, however, without cause, which means Coach O will receive almost $17 million in buyout money.

Though the decline in the program’s success since winning a national title in 2019 was certainly a factor in the firing, Orgeron found himself in trouble with the NCAA as well. He is a defendant in a Title IX lawsuit about the program allegedly mishandling a rape allegation.