The NCAA dropped the hammer on the Florida State football program on Thursday, unveiling substantial penalties in response to violations related to name, image, and likeness (NIL) offers used as recruiting inducements. The sanctions include two years of probation and the disassociation of its NIL collective for one season. This marks the first time the NCAA has severed ties between a school and its NIL collective due to infractions, a significant move in response to the evolving landscape of college sports.
Offensive coordinator Alex Atkins, identified by sources as the involved assistant coach, received a three-game suspension for his role in the violation. The NCAA didn’t explicitly name Atkins but revealed that the assistant coach facilitated a meeting between a prospect and the head of the program’s primary NIL collective during an official campus visit. In this meeting, a booster associated with the collective offered the prospect $15,000 per month to join the Seminoles, a clear breach of NCAA rules.
While the NCAA did not implicate head coach Mike Norvell in any violations, Yahoo Sports identified Atkins and reported that the booster linked to the violation was a prominent figure in Florida State’s Rising Spear collective.
The penalties imposed on Florida State include additional measures, such as three years of disassociation with a specific booster, the loss of five scholarships over two years, a $5,000 fine, and various recruiting restrictions. Among the recruiting restrictions are the forfeiture of seven official visits, a six-week reduction in recruiting communications time, and 24 fewer in-person recruiting days during the current academic year.
These sanctions are categorized as Level II violations by the NCAA, indicating they are major infractions but not as severe as Level I violations. Florida State athletic director Michael Alford expressed the university’s commitment to compliance, emphasizing the seriousness with which they approach all matters related to NCAA rules and regulations.