
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, August 19, 1993                   TAG: 9308190059
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: AUBURN, ALA.                                 LENGTH: Medium

AUBURN SACKED BY NCAA

Auburn University's football program, which Pat Dye built into a national power in the 1980s, was hit with two years' probation Wednesday for Dye-era sins exposed by former player Eric Ramsey.

Auburn also was hit with a one-year television ban and agreed to reduce its football scholarships for a three-year period.

But the school, whose basketball program already was on probation, escaped the NCAA's "death penalty."

The university accepted NCAA sanctions stemming from secret tape recordings made by Ramsey. The former Tigers defensive back sought and received money from coaches and boosters - and taped some of the transactions - while playing for Dye from 1987-90.

With the probation, Auburn will not be eligible to play in postseason bowls or win the Southeastern Conference championship during the 1993 and '94 seasons. SEC officials estimated that Auburn could lose $2 million to $3 million in conference money because of the sanctions.

Dye, forced to resign after the 1992 season, remains a special assistant to Muse. He did not join the president at a news conference to discuss the NCAA probation, but issued a statement saying he may have made "management mistakes and mistakes of judgment, but I did not willfully or intentionally violate any rules."

The NCAA found Auburn committed six major violations. Three involved giving cash payments to Ramsey, including bonuses for game performances. A fourth cited a lack of institutional control. The other two cited the school for allowing athletes to play without meeting all eligibility requirements.

by CNB