Although college football isn’t like the NFL, the league still has some shocking historical moments. There are many of them now, and some are so big that they are still talked about today when the topic is brought up.
The league has been home to many controversies, from cheating to criminal cases. And we’re pretty sure that there will still be more in the future, given how emotional and thrilling college football is. So, without further ado, here are some of the most shocking college football controversies.
Houston Nutt
Houston Nutt had a memorable track record with the Arkansas Razorbacks during his time. Sure, his time during the team was great in and of itself, but he’s not famous mainly because of that, or should we say infamous, depending on how you view it. The most memorable, however, was his company phone sending over a thousand texts to a local news reporter.
The text messages seemed to conveniently surface after rumors about the university getting tired of his antics. These messages relayed his handling of QB Mitch Mustain and his frequent search for another high-profile job.
Of course, Nutt denied that these text messages were true and that if they were, they were non-personal. He stated that if the text messages were true, they contained messages about his condolences and support regarding losing his mother-in-law due to cancer and relaying information to his friend, who is also battling cancer. Mrs. Nutt accepted his version of the truth, but the university still fired him.
Ohio State Tattoo Scandal
Tattoos were seemingly the downfall of the national championship-winning Ohio State coach Jim Tressel. In 2010, Tressel learned of a certain agreement with a local tattoo shop to exchange jerseys, rings, and other team paraphernalia for tattoos.
Knowing that, Tressel didn’t notify the athletic director or compliance staff about the dealings. Because of this, he was fined $250,000, and the league later asked him to resign. On top of that, he also received a 5-year show-cause penalty from the NCAA itself.
The thing is that he is far from alone. Five other Ohio State players were found to be complicit in the incident. This included star quarterback Terrelle Pryor. They received suspensions for their roles in the controversies. However, it was later found out that 28 other players were involved and were given suspensions.
Murder Conviction
There have been multiple deaths in the league’s past, but this one isn’t accidental. This case involved Brandon Falkner and Loren Wade. Wade, a offensive player for Arizona State, shot and murdered Falkner, a former defensive player for the Devils, in a nightclub in Arizona back in March 2005.
Falkner and his three friends were sitting in his car when Wade and Falkner argued. Wade then shot Falkner seven times in the head in front of seven witnesses. Wade was then arrested on the scene right away. Wade had been in hot water from the league due to his past behavior and had already been given suspensions, but any hope of continuing his career died as Falkner died.
Nevin Shapiro
The NCAA is in hot waters this time as it was discovered that they botchedly attempted to investigate Nevin Shapiro’s case. The Hurricanes already appeared in the Paul Grant fraud, but this time, the controversy will end one of the league’s greatest franchises in history. But how?
Nevin Shapiro, who was serving a 20-year prison sentence because of his involvement in a Ponzi Scheme, was found out he had been spending millions of cash and gifts and, in some cases, prostitutes and escorts, to 72 Miami athletes and recruits for eight years.
Because of this, both fans and the media awaited the supposed “death sentence” for the franchise and major changes in FanDuel College football odds. However, despite these expectations, the NCAA botched the whole investigation, and the Hurricanes got off light, much to the disappointment of many people. Because of this, the football program lost nine scholarships in three years and faced on-campus recruiting privileges.
Woody Hayes
Woody Hayes is the type of coach who is very hands-on and doesn’t like to lose. Everyone knew this when they saw Hayes punch quarterback Art Schlicter in the throat. Going further along with his hate of losing, he refused to resign after the incident. Of course, this didn’t go well, as they fired him immediately, losing all his benefits. In a lot of people’s opinions, he should’ve resigned instead.
Final Words
The NCAA football league has faced a lot of controversies over the years, both minor and major. And we’re pretty sure that it’s not the end of it. But still, NCAA football is one of the most anticipated sporting events that millions of people watch every year. Let’s hope nothing major will happen again in the next few years.
