Report: Herm Edwards expected to receive show-cause of at least three years for recruiting violations

Herm Edwards is finally receiving his penalty from the NCAA for infractions he incurred during his time as the leader of the Arizona State Sun Devils.

On Friday, Chris Karpman of Sun Devil Source reported has received a show-cause penalty of at least three years from the NCAA Committee on Infractions, but it won’t be officially announced until the full case is completed. However, with Edwards never planning on coaching college football again, Karpman noted that the penalty is more demonstrative than anything.

“BREAKING: Herm Edwards has received a show-cause penalty of at least three years from the NCAA Committee on Infractions, per sources. This will not be officially announced until the full case is completed (months away),” Karpman posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Edwards acknowledged recruiting infractions to the COI.

“Edwards will not coach again in college football so the show-cause penalty has no actual impact. But it is a strong demonstration that he was personally responsible and directly involved in the recruiting violations.”

In a press release shared on Friday, the NCAA shed some more light into the situation, and where the violations occurred.

“Arizona State and four individuals who previously worked for the school’s football program have reached an agreement with the NCAA enforcement staff on recruiting violations that occurred within the program and the appropriate penalties for those violations,” a press release read. “A Committee on Infractions panel has approved the agreement. Two individuals are contesting portions of their respective cases via written record hearing. After the written record hearing, the committee will release its full decision. 

“The agreed-upon violations included impermissible in-person recruiting contacts during the COVID-19 dead period, recruiting inducements, impermissible tryouts and tampering. The negotiated resolution also involved the parties’ agreement that the underlying violations demonstrated unethical conduct by involved individuals and a head coach responsibility violation. Several involved individuals also failed to meet their legislated responsibility to cooperate throughout the investigative phase of this case. The school also agreed that it failed to monitor its football program.”

Moreover, Jason Leonard, executive director of athletics compliance at Oklahoma and chief hearing officer for the Committee on Infractions panel, providing a statement via the press release, praising Arizona State for the cooperation.

“Arizona State’s cooperation throughout the investigation and processing of this case was exemplary, and the cooperation began with the leadership shown by the university president,” said Leonard. “The school’s acceptance of responsibility and decision to self-impose meaningful core penalties is a  model for all schools to follow and is consistent with the expectations of the NCAA’s infractions program.”

Alas, Arizona State has moved on from Herm Edwards, and Herm Edwards has moved on from Arizona State, but these infractions are certainly a blemish on his time with the Sun Devils.