• Loading stock data...
Thursday, September 11, 2025
Tuned In is Almost Sold Out! Limited Tickets Remain!

IARP Decision on Memphis Men’s Basketball Epitomizes NCAA Dysfunction

  • The IARP handed down a decision in a case involving Memphis men’s basketball.
  • It’s arguable whether the findings make sense, but it’s clear the process is dysfunctional.
Joe Rondone/The Commercial Appeal

To understand the dysfunction of the NCAA’s infractions process, look no further than Tuesday’s decision regarding the Memphis men’s basketball team.

An Independent Accountability Resolution Process panel found that Memphis men’s basketball coach Penny Hardaway provided impermissible benefits to players including James Wiseman, but that those benefits didn’t constitute major violations.

The group said they wanted to focus on punishing responsible administrators rather than players, and therefore did not implement a postseason ban. The school received only a few years of probation, a fine, and vacation of wins when illegible players participated.

Whether or not the decision itself was too lenient, the real dysfunction lies in the very existence of the investigation: 

  • The IARP is still adjudicating cases even after NCAA members have voted to dissolve it.
  • As a result, schools involved in the process will still have to serve punishments despite receiving them from a lame-duck governing body. 

The IARP was created in 2019 to oversee particularly complex cases and is made up of non-NCAA officials.

But a few months ago, NCAA members voted to recalibrate the governing body’s infractions process, which they acknowledge is inconsistent, overly complex, and much too lengthy. Part of that recalibration included ending the IARP.

And yet, the group is still going to complete its current cases — NCAA Vice President of Hearing Operations, Derrick Crawford, said he hopes they’ll be completed by spring or summer of next year. 

At that point, the NCAA will likely implement a completely new constitution and infractions process.

As for how NCAA members should consider the merits of the IARP’s decisions, panel member Hugh Fraser said he believed the decisions should be given the thorough investigations process.

Crawford said he expected lawyers to cite these cases to argue points in the future. 

But as for the NCAA, “I think the Committee on Infractions will certainly be mindful … but I don’t feel that they will be bound by [our decisions.]”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Feb 17, 2024; Boise, Idaho, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs guard Jalen Weaver (5) during the first half against the Boise State Broncos at ExtraMile Arena.

NCAA Bans 3 Basketball Players for Violating Betting Rules Last Season

The former San Jose State and Fresno State players have lost eligibility.
NFL Congress
exclusive

College Sports ‘House of Cards’: Republicans, Lobbyists Work to Secure Votes to..

Several House Republicans criticized the SCORE Act on social media.

Sling TV’s Day Passes Spark Another Sports-Centric Legal Battle

The disruptive programming options generate a second lawsuit in as many weeks.

Lachlan Murdoch’s Victory Brings Stability to Fox Sports Rights Future

The network’s status quo is solidified in the complex financial settlement.

Featured Today

ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start

ESPN posts its second-best Week 1 “Monday Night Football” audience.
Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills fans react during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium.
September 9, 2025

As Bills Ascend, Their Next Frontier Lies in Canada

Buffalo and the powerful Canadian entity MLSE come together in a new pact.
opinion
September 9, 2025

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from NFL’s Week 1 Broadcasts

Many viewers decried the addition of ads to “NFL RedZone.”
Aug 23, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) leads the team onto the field for warm ups before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
September 7, 2025

Slow Burn: The NFL’s Private-Equity Era So Far

Three deals have been struck to date. But the league is bullish.
Jan 25, 2023; Langley, British Columbia, CAN; Highlights from the CHL Kubota Top Prospects game at the Langley Events Centre

NCAA Hockey Scouts Denied Passes for Crucial Recruiting League

The CHL won’t welcome scouts on passes: “It comes across as petty.”
Sep 6, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; South Florida Bulls place kicker Nico Gramatica (7), South Florida Bulls long snapper Turner McLaughlin (48) and teammates celebrate after a game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
September 8, 2025

USF Is the Newest Financial Underdog in the AP Top 25

USF’s athletic department brings in half the amount Florida does.
The cover of the College Football 25 video game.
exclusive
September 9, 2025

Group That Facilitated NIL Deal for Football Video Game Now Says It’s..

EA offered $1,500 and no royalties; it also deleted an opt-out clause.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
September 7, 2025

Oklahoma-Michigan Was a Battle of Dueling QB NIL Philosophies

Bryce Underwood got into a heated exchange with his teammate.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) and linebacker C.J. Hicks (11) shake hands while leaving the field following the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. Ohio State won 14-7
September 6, 2025

How Ohio State Rebuilt Its NIL Strategy in the Rev-Share Era

The Buckeyes are staying “aggressive” in the new NIL landscape.
September 5, 2025

NIL Go Corrects Its Data From $80M in Deals Cleared to $35M,..

It’s another bump in the rocky rollout of the new NIL clearinghouse.
September 5, 2025

NCAA Headed Toward Single Football Transfer-Portal Window

A new winter window would run Jan. 2–11.