SMU Receives Death Penalty on February 27, 1987

On February 27, 1987, a shocking announcement had been made that forever changed the landscape of not only one college football program, but signaled the beginning of the end of a major conference. It was on this day that the NCAA announced that Southern Methodist University(SMU) had received the "death penalty" that effectively canceled their 1987 season. The NCAA had given Dallas, Texas-based school the most severe penalty ever handed down to a college football program.

Before they received the death penalty, SMU was one of college football's most storied programs in the early 20th Century. The Dickinson System named them national champions in 1935, and they also had the 1949 Heisman Trophy winner in Doak Walker who is widely recognized as one of college football's all-time great players. They had numerous All-Americans and won 10 Southwest Conference titles despite having the second smallest school within the conference. They did have an unbeaten 1982 season in which they were famed for having the "Pony Express" led by running backs Eric Dickerson and Craig James. However, they only had three winning seasons since 1949 going into the decade of the 1980s.

They made strong efforts in trying to compete with the bigger SWC schools, but found themselves in violation with the NCAA beginning in 1974. Between 1974 and 1984, the school received probation five times by the NCAA. In 1985, the school was placed on three year's probation as a result of recruiting violations in which boosters and an assistant coach were involved. They were banned from playing in bowl games in 1985 and 1986, and lost the rights to have their games on television in 1986, too. But this was only the beginning of what was uncovered during an investigation of the school. The "death penalty" would mark the seventh sanction the school received which is the most of any Division 1-A program to this day.

Beginning in the summer of 1986, ABC affiliate producer John Sparks for WFAA-TV had received a tip about more violations at SMU. Eventually, the investigation led him to former SMU linebacker David Stanley, who played at SMU in 1983 and 1984. Stanley later claimed that he received $25,000 to sign with SMU, and was receiving payments every month while playing. The school was put on probation during this period, and Stanley was still being paid by officials. This was a key turning point in the school getting the "death penalty" because they had two major violations in five years. The NCAA had the power to bar any sports program for up to two years after a second violation in five years which is what is effectively known as the "death penalty". Sparks continued with his investigation alongside reporter Dale Hansen.

Sparks confronted then-SMU Athletic Director Bob Hitch, head coach Bobby Collins, and Henry Lee Parker, a recruiting coordinator. Sparks showed evidence of letters that Stanley received from the school that was postmarked in October 1985. It was confirmed that the signature for those payments came from Parker, who denied any of it. In November 1985, Hansen appeared on television to reveal the report of Stanley receiving payments from SMU. But more importantly, the report also said Stanley had contacted the NCAA which led them to get involved with a school again.

The Dallas Morning News, who were owned by the same company as WFAA-TV, revealed that starting tight end Albert Reese had been living rent-free in a Dallas apartment. Coincidentally enough, it was George Owen that paid the rent, who was the booster that had been permanently banned from the program which eventually led to SMU's probation in 1985.

In 1986, a petition by professors was presented to put a ban on athletic scholarships. Bill Clements, who was to be Governor of Texas in two months at the time, was the chairman of the Board of Governors at the school. He considered dropping the school's football program entirely to maintain integrity if necessary.

From 1985 to 1986, 13 SMU players were paid from a slush fund from a booster that was later identified as Sherwood Blount Jr, a well-known Dallas real estate developer. Blount, who played at SMU in 1969-71, paid out over $61,000 to those 13 players. The slush fund was to be continued until all 13 players were out of eligibility. By the end of the 1986 season, only three of those 13 players had eligibility left.

Two NFL players, New England Patriots running back Reggie Dupard and Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Rod Jones, were among the 13 that received payments from the slush fund.

SMU President L. Donald Shields, Hitch, and Collins all resigned just days after the report came out about the slush fund.

A report was given to the NCAA on February 5, 1987 that proposed the sanctions to be placed on the program. This included an extension of probation until the 1990 season and the removal of non-conference games in through 1989. They also recommended an extended ban of bowl games and television coverage through 1989, too. The NCAA did recognize the cooperation of SMU during the investigation after the report, and decided only to cancel the 1987 season. Without the lack of cooperation from the school, there's no doubt they would have had the full "death penalty" placed on them resulting in two years of canceled games.

The NCAA committee voted unanimously to shut down the 1987 season for SMU. Furthermore, they only allowed the school to play seven games in 1988 - all away from the school. The previous probation was extended until 1990 and the loss of bowl games and television coverage were on banishment until 1989. They could not hold any off-campus recruiting again until August of 1988 and they lost 55 scholarships for the next four years. Furthermore, Owen and the rest of the boosters that were banned from the program previously would be banned for good or more sanctions would be placed.

It was later revealed that a slush fund provided by boosters had existed dating back to the 1970s. Clements was implicated in the slush fund, and it was revealed that over $800,000 was paid out to Hitch, Collins, and Parker to keep a silence on the matter.

The school did not have enough players to field a team in 1988, so they cancelled that season with an announcement in April of 1987, too. This came after school gave players a full release to transfer to another school without losing eligibility.

The "death penalty" at SMU has effected the football program even to this day. However, this signaled more dark days ahead for a conference that had repeatedly been on the wrong side of bending violations for years.

The school wouldn't have a full roster of scholarship players until 1992 because of the 55 they lost, and they have only one winning season(1997) since the penalty was imposed. They have made no bowl appearances since then, and have a compiled a dismal 58-153-3 mark. But the sanctions placed on SMU damaged the conference's reputation that already seen other schools violating rules, too.

During the 1980s, nine programs were in Southwest Conference: Arkansas, Baylor, Houston, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, and Texas Tech. At one time, all but three(Arkansas, Baylor, and Rice) were on probation in the 1980s. Because of NCAA rules banning schools from appearing on television while on probation, the market share had dwindled in the conference which caused schools and the SWC to lose large amounts of money, too.

Arkansas bolted for the Southeastern Conference(SEC) in 1990 beginning play during the 1991 season which effectively marked the beginning of the end for the SWC. In 1992, Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech decided to join the Big Eight Conference to become the Big 12 Conference with play beginning in 1996. SMU, TCU, and Rice decided to join the Western Athletic Conference beginning play in 1996 as well. Houston joined Conference USA in 1996. SMU and Rice would join Conference USA in 2005 joining former SWC rival Houston. TCU joined Conference USA in 2001 before leaving to the Mountain West Conference in 2005.

Even though the SMU football program has had a tough time overcoming the "death penalty", they have a glimmer of hope in their future. Before the 2008 season, long-time head coach June Jones left Hawaii for SMU. Despite the 1-11 season in which it was a rebuilding year, Jones has had a track record of success in winning at the college level. His run-and-shoot pass-heavy offense led Hawaii to two WAC Championships and a 4-2 bowl record. He did receive criticism for SMU's 2008 record. But a new system and coaching style to go along with heavy competition in recruiting in the state of Texas is something that will take time to overcome. Jones is currently the school's fifth coach since the penalty in 1987.

The "death penalty" at SMU forever changed the fortunes of one program and was a large reason why the Southwest Conference is gone. Three times since then, the NCAA considered handing down the "death penalty".

The Baylor basketball program nearly had the "death penalty" placed on them in 2005. Baylor took swift action and forced the resignation of coach Dave Bliss. According to the NCAA, Baylor admitted wrong-doing from the start and this saved them which wasn't the case for SMU after not being upfront to begin the investigation.

The NCAA has reported that 29 Division 1-A schools have had two major violations in five years which means a "death penalty" could have been placed on them. Since then, only two programs have received the "death penalty": Morehouse College soccer, a Division II school, and MacMurray College tennis, a Division III school.

The "death penalty" has caused the NCAA to rethink the way they sanction schools because of the damage caused in SMU's case. While integrity and credibility is very important to maintain in college sports, the effect of such a penalty is something the NCAA does their best to avoid handing down now. SMU's case is a clear example of what can happen to a program, conference, television, and sport even many years after it was handed down. While this doesn't excuse any program from violating rules such as SMU's case, it does in fact make it tough for NCAA officials to place such a penalty after what this scandal caused. College football is effectively a business, and having a "death penalty" placed at a school in a major conference can create massive chaos. Afterall, SMU hasn't come close to being a good football program on the field since.

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Posted in: college football, death penalty, football, NCAA football, SMU Mustangs, Southern Methodist University, Southwest Conference

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