Cam Newton

The NCAA added a a third year of probation Thursday for practice and training violations, but didn't decide that Rodriguez had failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance with NCAA rules.
"We were pleased to learn that the committee on infractions agreed with our position," athletic director Dave Brandon said Thursday. Rodriguez was thankful, too, but wasn't openly celebrating an apparent victory. "Everybody has accepted responsibility that needed to, including myself," he said softly. Michigan also successfully argued that it shouldn't be labeled a repeat offender, less than 10 years after the NCAA said the basketball program was guilty of having the largest financial scandal in the history of college sports.

University president Mary Sue Coleman said she wouldn't put the problems with the football team in the same category as the ones that previously plagued the basketball program. "This case may not be as sensational as other major-infraction cases, but to the University of Michigan, it could not be more serious," Coleman said. "We offer no excuses for the violations." Paul Dee, the chairman of the Division I infractions committee, compared Rodriguez to the captain of a ship. "Some of the things that did occur did not get all the way to the coach," Dee said. "But ultimately, the coach bears a responsibility for the program."
Dee didn't clear up the distinction between the original allegation against Rodriguez and the final one during a conference call that didn't last as long as expected, nor did Brandon.
"I'm going to punt that one just like happened on the call," Brandon said. "I invite you to crawl into the rule of the NCAA and try to come up with your own conclusions as it relates to that."
The NCAA also ordered Rodriguez to attend a rules seminar. Cam Newton
Michigan announced in May that self-imposed sanctions included probation for two years and reduced training time by 130 hours over two years, double the amount of time by which the Wolverines exceeded NCAA rules. Cam Newton
The problems came to light just before the 2009 season when the Detroit Free Press, quoting anonymous players, reported that the program was exceeding NCAA limits on practice and training time. Cam Newton