The Youngstown State football program is in trouble with the NCAA for violations committed under then-head coach Bo Pelini.

Per a release from NCAA.org, Youngstown State failed to monitor its football program. The violations range from 41 impermissible contacts between an assistant coach and a DII player who thought he was in the transfer portal to an issue with recruiting certifications for Pelini and a couple of his assistants:

Additionally, when the now-former football head coach was hired by another school in January 2020, Youngstown State discovered that the former head coach and two assistant coaches had not taken the 2019-20 coaches certification test required for off-campus recruiting activities. Because the coaches had not been certified, they had impermissible contacts with 16 prospects and conducted impermissible evaluations of two other prospects.

The penalties for the program include recruiting restrictions, a fine and 2 years of probation:

The university and the enforcement staff used ranges identified by the Division I membership-approved infractions penalty guidelines to agree upon Level II-standard penalties for the university and Level II-mitigated for the assistant coach. Those and other penalties, approved by the Committee on Infractions, are detailed below:

  • Two years of probation.
  • A $5,000 fine.
  • A reduction of football official visits by three during the 2021-22 academic year.
  • A two-week ban on unofficial visits during the 2020-21 academic year.
  • A two-week ban on all recruiting communication during the 2020-21 academic year.
  • A reduction of football evaluation days by three during the 2021-22 academic year.
  • The assistant football coach was suspended from all coaching duties during three preseason football dates.
  • The assistant coach was banned from recruiting activities from Feb. 13-26, 2021.

It does not appear Pelini will face any specific penalties, based on this report.