INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA is investigating the Ohio State football program for issues beyond the tattoos-for-memorabilia scandal that brought down the Jim Tressel era, ESPN reported Wednesday.
According to the report, the NCAA sent a letter to Ohio State last week about other issues that were under investigation, though the university has not confirmed its receipt of the letter. Ohio State spokesman Jim Lynch told ESPN in an email that the NCAA is still conducting an "active investigation," the report stated.
Ohio State is set for a hearing Friday in Indianapolis before the NCAA Committee on Infractions over the tattoo scandal, in which the school admitted its players traded memorabilia in exchange for tattoos and/or cash.
Former coach Jim Tressel resigned on Memorial Day after admitting previously that he was notified about his players' apparent violations in the spring of 2010, but did not disclose the information to the university or NCAA.
Star quarterback Terrelle Pryor and four other players were suspended for the first five games of the upcoming season. And after further allegations surfaced against Pryor, he announced in June he would forgo his senior season to pursue an NFL career.
According to the report, the additional allegations came after the NCAA had sent Ohio State a notice of allegations on April 25 in connection with the tattoo scandal.
The newer allegations include a report from ESPN's "Outside the Lines" claiming Pryor had been paid thousands of dollars during his career by a local memorabilia dealer for autographing items.
Ohio State announced in July it would self-impose a two-year probationary period, along with vacating all wins from last season. Following Friday's hearing, the NCAA could choose to accept the self-imposed penalties or hand down harsher sanctions, which could include a ban on postseason play and/or scholarship reductions.
Ohio State, ranked No. 16 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, opens its season Sept. 3 against Akron under new coach Luke Fickell.
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