The Florida Gators are the latest football program to be targeted by the NCAA.
The NCAA began its investigation in June after officials sent a formal notice of investigation to University of Florida President Ben Sasse, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Details of the investigation were not specified in the document.
In October, the Tampa Bay Times said the outlet requested “any investigative notice regarding potential name, image, likeness, or hiring violations.”
The publication said the initial request was denied. But this week that request was fulfilled.
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A Florida Gators helmet is placed on the sideline during the game between the Florida Gators and Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field on November 5, 2022 in College Station, Texas. (Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
University officials released a statement expressing the football program's intention to fully cooperate with the NCAA.
“We have and will continue to work with the NCAA,” University of Florida spokesman Steve McClain said in a statement. “We hold ourselves to high standards of excellence and integrity on and off the field. In accordance with NCAA policy regarding confidentiality, we are unable to comment further.”
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The advent of the NIL has drastically changed the college football recruiting landscape. Florida State's football program made headlines last year with a high-paying NIL involving highly touted quarterback recruit Jayden Rashada and a third-party Gator Collective.
Rashada was initially committed to the Gators, but was later decommitted and ended up playing at Arizona State. Rashada started two games during his freshman season.
SEC conference logos at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium before the start of the game between the Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles on November 25, 2023 in Gainesville, Florida. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Last year, Florida State football coach Billy Napier was asked if he expected to hear from officials about Rashada's situation.
“We are not,” Napier said in February 2022.
In 2020, the NCAA issued sanctions in a separate case. The program received one year of probation for recruiting violations. Dan Mullen was the Gators' head coach at the time of the suspension.
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Elsewhere, Florida State was recently sanctioned after offensive coordinator Alex Atkins brought a transfer candidate into a meeting. An unidentified booster who was a member of the NIL group is believed to have attended the meeting in question.
According to a resolution between the NCAA and the state of Florida, football players were offered large sums of money as inducements.
Fox News Digital reached out to the University of Florida athletic department, but did not immediately receive a response.
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