Grambling State University will not have to vacate its 2011 football championship season, including the 2011 Southwestern Athletic Conference championship.
In a communication GSU received from the NCAA Monday, the national athletics governing body clarified that the NCAA sanctions previously announced include the 2012-13 through 2015-16 academic years and therefore the “violations that occurred during the 2011-12 academic year are not included.” That means the 2011 football season record stands. The 2011 championship football team was 8-4 overall and beat Alabama A&M University 16-15 on Dec. 10, 2011, to win the SWAC title.
“This is a good day for Grambling State athletics,” said GSU Athletics Director Paul Bryant. “We have been through a lot these last several years, and we’ve had some most unfortunate failings that we are working to continue to assess and correct. It’s certainly good news that former head football coach Doug Williams and his G-men team will continue to be recognized for the good performances they had in fall 2011.
“Still, we acknowledge there were a number of things that should not have happened, and we have taken corrective action,” he added. “We recently invited the NCAA to our campus to help educate and train our entire athletics administration team and coaches. We are confident that we will perform far more effectively in the future when it comes to NCAA guidelines and policies.”
GSU President Rick Gallot expressed his appreciation to the NCAA for the review and clarification, and he thanked Bryant and his team for being dogged stewards of the school’s academic and athletic obligations and responsibilities. “The NCAA has an important job to do holding all its institutions to high standards, and that includes our beloved institution with its storied athletics history,” said Gallot. “We thank the NCAA for this clarification, which I know will bring relief to many of our alumni and fans. I assure everyone that we will come out of this situation better and stronger.”
