Just six days before the University of Miami Hurricanes season opener against the Maryland Terrapins, the NCAA has confirmed the eight players previously ruled ineligible by the school for their part in the Nevin Shapiro fiasco must miss games and repay benefits from the crooked booster. Five of those players, including quarterback Jacory Harris, will only miss one game. The others face multi-game suspensions.
Here's the breakdown of the suspended players according to InsideTheU:
- Defensive tackle Marcus Forston, linebacker Sean Spence, defensive end Adewale Ojomo, wide receiver Travis Benjamin and quarterback Jacory Harris will all be forced to sit out one game and will have to pay back any benefits the received from Shapiro. Forston will have to pay back about $400. Spence is on the hook for $275, Ojomo owes $240. Benjamin owes $150, and Harris only owes $140.
- Safety Ray-Ray Armstrong will miss four games and repay $788 in benefits he received from Shapiro.
- Tight end Dryone Dye will also sit out four games and will have to repay $738.
- Defensive end Olivier Vernon will have to sit out six games and repay more than $1,200.
The players will not have to pay back the money before they return to the field, but must make financial amends while still students at the University of Miami. The money repaid will not go back to Shapiro, who sits in jail after being convicted for running a Ponzi scheme, but rather to charity.
These are the first official judgments handed out by the NCAA since allegations of Shapiro's misconduct surfaced, and indicates that there's certainly some fire where there was smoke.
Brandon McGee and JoJo Nicolas, defensive tackle Micanor Regis and safety Vaughn Telemaque, who were not declared ineligible by the school, but connected to the Shapiro report, have been cleared to play in all games. However all must pay back benefits they received from Shapiro, though they amount to less than $100 each.
The gifts received from the players run the gamut from food, drinks, entertainment, nightclub cover charges (what the hell Shapiro, you were paying cover?), transportation, and entertainment at a gentlemen's club.
In three of the cases, Shapiro handed out benefits during the recruiting period, which could lead to more serious, program-wide punishment in the future.
In addition, Aldarius Johnson has been suspended indefinitely by coach Al Golden. Its unclear why or if its related to the Shapiro saga.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
