The University of Notre Dame (UND) has completed hearings for the five suspended football players involved in the school's academic fraud investigation.
According to ESPN, the school said they will not release their decision but would not restrict the student-athletes involved from doing so. UND's investigation is near complete now that the hearings are over.
DaVaris Daniels, Ishaq Williams, Kendall Moore, KeiVarae Russell and Eliar Hardy are all waiting to learn their respective fates for the remainder of the season. UND re-stated that they are willing to sanction their own student-athletes to avoid an NCAA probe whose scope could include wrongdoing on the administration's part.
"If it is determined that student-athletes would have been ineligible during past competition, Notre Dame will voluntarily impose appropriate sanctions, report our findings to the NCAA, and await its independent review," Paul J. Browne, UND's vice president for public affairs and communications, said in a statement.
Starting quarterback Everett Golson missed all of last season due to an academic fraud punishment, which he later confirmed was for cheating. Rather than transferring out during his suspension from the school, Golson re-enrolled, was reinstated to the team and won his starting QB position back.
These five players were suspended before the season started, NBC Sports reported, to avoid the risk of having any wins they might compile be vacated. If the NCAA ever determined the Irish played with academically ineligible players, their 5-0 start could have well been erased. The sixth-ranked Fighting Irish are 5-0 coming off a win over Stanford and will host North Carolina next Saturday.
"Due to the complexity of cases involving multiple disciplines, comprehensive honesty committees were impaneled to review memoranda and extensive exhibits compiled in connection with the general counsel's initial inquiry, interview witnesses and the subjects of the hearings, and potentially impose sanctions subject to appeal," Browne said. "A faculty reporter was also appointed to review voluminous material collected during the general counsel's investigation to identify cases for the comprehensive committees' review."
