Rick Pitino may face same fate as Larry Brown amidst recruiting scandal

Rick Pitino and the Louisville basketball program may be sanctioned due to the head coach’s “lack of control” over recruiting operations.

Pitino claims to have no knowledge of the alleged incidents regarding basketball recruits during official visits, but even if the NCAA finds this to be the truth, he may still be subjected to punitive measures.

The pending NCAA investigation stems from allegations published in the book “Breaking Cardinal Rules.”

According to the book, a former Louisville staffer, Andre McGee paid escort Katina Powell to arrange strippers and prostitutes for incoming recruits during campus visits.

A former Louisville recruit, JaQuan Lyle, has confirmed the reports claiming that strippers were present in a Louisville dorm room during his visit to the school.

Lyle, now a freshman at Ohio State, was interviewed Tuesday by the NCAA.

Dan Wallenberg, associate athletic director for communications at Ohio State, has stated that Lyle’s eligibility will not be in question for the upcoming season.

“It does not affect us or JaQuan at all,” Wallenberg said. “We’ve been told, and are pretty confident, this is not something we need to worry about.”

While the investigation continues, it seems likely that the NCAA will look to interview other former Louisville recruits, including current LSU freshman Antonio Blakeney.

Regardless the result of the pending NCAA investigation, it seems likely that there is no evidence available to implicate Pitino. That being said, the same was true of Larry Brown at SMU and he was suspended for 30 percent of the team’s games this season. Head coaches are being help more and more responsible for things that occur top-to-bottom in their programs, whether they know about it or not.