Cinci Goes Big Time

I guess the University of Cincinnati is serious about becoming a legitimate BCS school. They have a sex and recruiting scandal brewing.

An anonymous letter alleging that four University of Cincinnati football players and four football recruits engaged in sex with a former UC soccer player at a party has touched off a university investigation.

The letter dated Feb. 14, 2007, and signed "A Concerned Athletic Department Employee," also alleges that "alcohol was involved in the 'party,' which took place during a recent football recruiting weekend."

The letter writer continued, "Evidently, someone videotaped these sex acts and tapes of the sex session have been distributed around the dormitories. A number of our student-athletes have viewed the tapes and validated the rumor."

Plus video. This is stepping up to the BCS level.

The letter can be seen here (PDF). According to the letter, the football team members are under orders to destroy any and all tapes they can locate. Like this hasn't been stuck on various hard drive if the tapes actually exist.

The university is investigating.

If the allegations are true, [University of Cincinnati spokesperson Gregory] Hand said, the student-athletes involved would have violated the university code of conduct and possibly regulations involving residence halls, as well as athletic department policies regarding on-campus recruiting visits.

At this point, there are no allegations of criminal conduct.

"We just don't know what we have," Hand said. "The facts are that there are anonymous allegations, and we're trying to find answers."

[Emphasis added.]

Were toaster ovens involved?

There were four recruiting weekends since Brian Kelly took the job in December. He claims not to be concerned about what it means to the football program he took over 10 weeks ago. Only that it be investigated and if true dealt with accordingly.

If anything of the nature described in the allegations did occur, Kelly said, "It's absolutely inappropriate behavior, period. End of discussion. ... That is pretty standard relative to student conduct or even appropriate human-being conduct."

Kelly can't say it, but he has to be worried about this for the program and himself. To go from hot, rising coach to being the next Gary Barnett without even having a chance to coach a football game. If these allegations are true, and even if he was not involved -- and you have to assume at the very least he never suggested video evidence -- he's still got big problems.

Cinci football is enough of an uphill battle. If the program has to be penalized with more oversight and reduced scholarships on top of that, this job could become Kelly's coaching grave.