Wisconsin gets probation, fine for impermissible calls

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin was placed on one year’s probation and fined $25,000 on Thursday after an NCAA investigation showed that nine coaches and staffers made impermissible phone calls to recruits in 2023.

Former defensive line coach Greg Scruggs and former director of player personnel Max Stienecker received one-year show cause orders. Scruggs is now an assistant defensive line coach for the San Francisco 49ers. Stienecker is USC’s executive director of personnel.

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Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell and outside linebackers/special teams coach Matt Mitchell were prohibited from having recruiting communications with high school prospects from June 15-21. Fickell was determined to have violated head coach responsibility rules.

A Division I Committee on Infractions hearing panel determined that a total of 139 impermissible phone calls were made to 48 prospects. Sixty of the calls lasted one minute or less.

Wisconsin’s compliance monitoring systems for phone communications uncovered the violations. The school then reported the violations in September 2023 and immediately self-imposed penalties while collaborating on the investigation with NCAA staff.

All parties determined factors leading to the violations included a new staff’s unfamiliarity with the school’s compliance processes along with a misunderstanding of rules pertaining to recruiting calls.

“Wisconsin Athletics is deeply committed to maintaining the highest level of integrity and holding ourselves accountable,” the school said in a statement. “We believe in doing things the right way, no matter the consequences. The issue at hand occurred two years ago under a rule that was actively being changed and no longer exists. We identified the mistake and were proactive in self-reporting and investigating and resolving the issue.”