Oklahoma Sooners staffer DeMarco Murray, a former standout football player, will serve a one-game suspension after the NCAA found him in violation of its recruiting rules.
The NCAA ruled on Tuesday that because Murray had impermissible contact with multiple recruits over a period of time, he must serve this small suspension as punishment.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel provided details on the key takeaways from the ruling, which included that Murray contacted 17 different recruits across a 16-month period.
NCAA rules a one-game suspension for Oklahoma football assistant DeMarco Murray. Impermissible contact with 17 prospects over 16 months. https://t.co/zxB7lExlKA
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 27, 2024
The Sooners won’t be too hurt by this minimal suspension. Head coach Brent Venables won’t face punishment, the NCAA ruled. So as some suggested, if this is the penalty for impermissible contact, then perhaps it should be done anyway. This is hardly a strong punishment, but it’s punishment nonetheless. The NCAA’s footing on everything continues to be both jostled and inconsistent.
Oklahoma will begin anew this Saturday. The Sooners joined the Southeastern Conference with longtime rival Texas this year. OU will enter newfound territory with new opponents and rivalries potentially budding along the way. The Sooners will kickoff the 2024 college football season this Saturday when they host the Temple Owls.
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022