The NCAA has finally announced discipline stemming from recruiting violations at Arizona State under Herm Edwards.
Antonio Pierce, the Sun Devils defensive coordinator at the time who has since taken over the Raiders head coaching spot, has been hit with an eight-year show-cause penalty from NCAA leaders, the organization announced today.
The violations took place during a roughly one-year span during the COVID-10 dead period where Pierce (as well as other members of the football staff) hosted recruits over 15 weekends where they hosted 35 prospects and their families, the NCAA investigation concluded.
Pierce was the point-person who arranged a number of things including free meals and airfare, as well as apparel and lodging while collaborating with an ASU booster. The violations also include a trip to a gentleman's club with a recruit's parents as well.
Eight players who were recruited during those violations ended up enrolling in Tempe, and they went on to compete in 19 games for the program while ineligible.
The NCAA shares that Pierce also pressured an assistant coach to engage in tampering with a student-athlete who was enrolled at another school and was not in the transfer portal, and the assistant sent nearly 50 texts along with a few phone calls to the player who ultimately did not transfer to ASU.
If a college were to hire him, Pierce would be suspended for the first year of employment.
Of course, this will come off as a hollow punishment by an organization that continues to reach for relevancy, as Pierce will have ample opportunities in the NFL whenever his time leading the Raiders comes to an end.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.