The hammer finally fell on Kyle Flood.
The Rutgers football coach has been suspended three games and fined $50,000 after a university investigation into allegations of rules violations found him guilty of violating school policy.
Flood’s suspension comes three days before Rutgers (1-1) faces Penn State in its Big Ten opener. Flood was being investigated for an email he sent from a private account to a faculty member concerning the academic status of junior cornerback Nadir Barnwell.
Rutgers president Robert Barchi released a letter Wednesday on the Rutgers website detailing what led to the suspension and writing that Flood “crossed a line” that faculty at the university “hold dear.’’
The investigation found Flood not only emailed an instructor, but also met with the teacher in person over Barnwell’s status after being told by a member of the athletics academic advising staff he could not have contact with a faculty member concerning the status of a student’s academic standing.
Flood later told an investigator he didn’t know about the no-contact policy with faculty because he didn’t attend the annual compliance training session. But on Aug. 25, he said he communicated with faculty members.
“We’re all part of the same university,” he said.
The 50-minute meeting between Flood and the faculty member took place off campus on Aug. 5. Flood didn’t wear Rutgers gear so he wouldn’t be spotted, according to the report.
In the report, the professor said she felt intimidated “and unable to resist the implied pressure” because of Flood’s status on campus.
“The professor stated she was relieved when contacted by the university’s compliance department on Aug. 14 that this issue had been reported,” the investigators wrote.
The teacher agreed to review an extra paper, but the grade was not changed and Barnwell’s status for the class remained unaltered. Both Flood and Barnwell said Flood gave Barnwell grammatical and minor editorial suggestions, but Rutgers ruled that was not academic misconduct.
Barchi told NJ.com he considered firing Flood, but opted to discipline him.
“But I think what we have done is to take action that is appropriate to what we found, that is going to be seen as severe by colleagues in the coaching business, and is significant both in the number of games and the monetary impact,” he said. “I think that we have basically tailored the consequences to the actions.”
In a statement, Flood said: “I take full responsibility and accept the consequences of my actions. I care deeply about my student-athlete’s academic performance.”
Associate head coach Norries Wilson will take over game-day duties. Flood will still be able coach during the week, but cannot have any contact with any coaches or players on the days of the next three games.
The suspension comes on the heels of the 15-member Rutgers Board of Governors meeting Friday during which “athletic matters and anticipated or pending litigation” was discussed.
The program is very much in turmoil. Six players, including Barnwell, were kicked off the team in the last two weeks for their roles in alleged home invasions. And on Sunday, star wide receiver Leonte Carroo was suspended indefinitely after he was arrested outside the team’s football headquarters for simple assault under domestic violence.
Carroo pleaded not guilty to the charge on Wednesday.