Violation expunged from OU record

NORMAN — The Oklahoma football program had a self-reported secondary NCAA violation removed from its record, according to documents obtained Tuesday by The Oklahoman.

Oklahoma originally reported that it had broken NCAA rules when it hung jerseys with three prospects' high school numbers in the Sooners' locker room when the recruits came to visit.

In a letter dated July 18, NCAA Associate Director for Enforcement of Secondary Violations, Renee Gomila, wrote that "based upon additional information (OU) submitted, it was confirmed by membership services that under the specific facts of this case, no violation of NCAA legislation occurred inasmuch as personalized numbers and names were not placed on the jerseys displayed during the prospects' visits.”

On May 8, the NCAA acknowledged the reported act as a violation and required the Sooners' staff members involved in the display of the jerseys be given letters of admonishment.

None of the three players signed with OU.

Jason Leonard, OU's executive director of compliance, later learned that compliance officers at the University of Missouri were told by a former NCAA official in 2005 in a similar instance that the school was not in violation of "personalization” as defined in the NCAA bylaws.

On June 27, Leonard wrote the NCAA enforcement staff to have the violation expunged.