OSU wide receiver suspended for season
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)—Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant will remain suspended for the remainder of the football season for lying to NCAA investigators.
The NCAA ruled Tuesday that the junior All-American will not be eligible to play until September 2010, possibly bringing his college career to an end if he enters the NFL draft.
Oklahoma State plans to appeal the decision, but athletic department spokesman Kevin Klintworth declined further comment. The university said it could receive a decision on the appeal as early as next week.
The university announced on Oct. 7 that Bryant was ineligible because he lied to the NCAA about his relationship with former NFL star Deion Sanders. He has sat out the last four games for the No. 13 Cowboys (6-1, 3-0 Big 12), who host No. 3 Texas on Saturday night in a game that will likely determine which team plays for the Big 12 championship.
The NCAA said in a news release that Bryant’s penalty actually constituted “relief” from even more severe penalties for breaking the agency’s rules for ethical conduct and preferential treatment. Bryant could have been forced to miss as few as six games or be permanently ineligible.
The NCAA said mitigating factors presented in Oklahoma State’s case resulted in a lighter penalty for Bryant. The decision was based on whether Bryant “actively and deliberately concealed, omitted or provided inaccurate or false information” to the NCAA and whether he had multiple chances to provide accurate information but did not do so.
Rivals.com
10/28/9
