The program that seemed content taking the "no comment" stance over the last three years when negative reports popped up has come out swinging in response to Selena Roberts' piece from Roopstigo.com titled "Auburn's Tainted Title: Victims, Violations and Vendettas for Glory."
Athletic director Jay Jacobs issued a point-by-point statement addressing nearly all of the major NCAA-related issues indicated in the report, after the university conducted an internal investigation into the matter.
The primary focus of the statement was the allegation of academic fraud. Roberts claimed in her report that up to nine players on Auburn's 2010 BCS National Championship team would not be able to play in the 2011 BCS National Championship game due to academic ineligibility, including the game's offensive MVP running back Michael Dyer.
The article alleges improper grade changes took place to make nine student-athletes eligible for the 2011 BCS National Championship Game. That is false. In fact, six players were academically ineligible for the BCS National Championship game, and none of them made the trip to Arizona with the team.
The article also states that former football student-athlete Michael Dyer was academically ineligible prior to the BCS National Championship game. That is also false. Mr. Dyer was never in danger of academic ineligibility. In fact, he passed 15 hours during the fall of 2010 (nine more than required by the NCAA) and had a 2.8 GPA at the end of the fall semester. Mr. Dyer actually passed a combined 24 hours in the summer and fall semesters.
Auburn came out strong against former safety Mike McNeil's allegations that one of his grades was changed from an F to a C after completion in order to keep him eligible. An internal audit showed that portion of the story to be true, but with the caveat that Auburn followed normal university procedures before changing the grade.
The article fails to point out that the professor changed Mr. McNeil's grade after documented reasons were provided, including excused absences from classes for medical reasons. The independent review by Auburn University Internal Auditing showed that all institutional policies regarding grade changes for excused absences were followed.
The story also refutes McNeil's claim that coaches gave him $500—$450 more than the allowed limit—to host former blue-chip prospect Dre Kirkpatrick on his recruiting visit.
Mr. Kirkpatrick never took an official visit to Auburn. Mr. Kirkpatrick has since publicly stated that no one at Auburn gave him money or spent money on him during unofficial visits to our campus.
Just how detailed is Auburn's response to the Roopstigo.com report? It's even separated into two columns, "allegations" and "facts," creating a user-friendly document for the public.
So in the last two weeks, Auburn has dismantled ESPN's spice story and Selena Roberts' Roopstigo.com report with point-by-point statements addressing specific facts in each. Simply put, it's clear that Auburn is fed up with losing in the court of public opinion and has decided that it's not going take it anymore.
Former wide receiver Darvin Adams responded to Roberts' allegation that he was offered money to stay at Auburn for his senior season to ESPN's Joe Schad.
In the case of Roberts' story, it's abundantly clear that the subject of the story, McNeil, was making a last-ditch effort to stay out of jail before his trial for armed robbery started.
According to Roberts, McNeil maintained his innocence for nearly two years before the trial was set to begin earlier this month.
But as it was set to begin, McNeil reversed course and took a plea deal. He was sentenced to three years in prison and three years probation after pleading guilty to first-degree robbery, according to AL.com.
It's clear through Auburn's actions over the last few weeks that it is done playing the "no comment" card when it comes to touchy subjects. If it feels that it is innocent, and it's going to tell you all about it—in tremendous detail.
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