UI Football Sanctioned for Bad Academics

MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — The NCAA has levied penalties, including a ban on post-season play next season, against the Idaho Vandals football team for failing to meet academic standards for the 2009 through 2012 seasons.

The Vandals will be ineligible for post-season bowl games or the College Football Playoff during the 2014 football season. In addition, they will lose four hours of practice time per week and must use that time for study hall. Idaho athletics director Rob Spear says that the university respects the NCAA's rules and takes full responsibility.

Beginning in 2011, the university has sought to improve its academics performance on the football team by instituting a number of changes, including increased tutoring, better studying facilities and technology, a learning disability testing program, substance abuse programs and stricter policies to monitor post-eligibility student-athletes to ensure they graduate. Coach Paul Petrino, who was hired in December 2012, says he was committed to seeing that the team improve academically.