Indiana Carefully Measures Options: Indiana officials are not rushing to a decision on the future of coach Kelvin Sampson, partially because any decision could have significant financial ramifications. Sampson has five years remaining on his contract and is due $2.5 million. Although the contract contains clauses that allow the university to fire Sampson because of NCAA violations, the NCAA has not officially ruled that Sampson committed violations.
The association has sent a list of allegations that Sampson and his staff made many improper phone calls to recruits, had improper contact with a recruit at a summer camp, and inhibited NCAA investigators who were compiling the report. Indiana has until May 8 to respond to the report and will meet with the infractions committee in June. A final ruling would probably come in July. If the university decides to fire Sampson before then, it risks a potential lawsuit, similar to one that Ohio State is still fighting with former coach Jim O’Brien. Ohio State fired O’Brien in 2004 after discovering that he improperly gave money to a recruit in 1999. [2/15/08]
