Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was remorseful about NCAA sanctions, but relentless in defending his character and integrity during an hour-long press conference on Thursday.
It was his first media appearance since the NCAA released a 94-page report detailing violations that spanned more than decade in the Syracuse athletics department. Boeheim began with a personal apology, saying that the head coach has to take responsibility for anyone in the program who commits violations.
"I do regret that these violations happened," Boeheim said. "I apologize for any harm that it has brought to my players, the university or embarrassment that it has caused to our alumni, students and fans."
He carefully dissected the 94-page report, which found that there was a "lack of institutional control" at Syracuse because Boeheim didn't monitor his staff well enough. The NCAA said that Boeheim didn't promote an atmosphere of compliance, a claim he said could not be further from the truth.
"I take responsibility for violations of NCAA rules that occurred within the basketball program," Boeheim said. "However, I believe that my effort to promote at atmosphere of compliance was disregarded by the enforcement staff and the Committee on Infractions."
In its report, the committee found the Syracuse failed to uphold its own drug policy and broke NCAA rules on academic fraud and impermissible benefits.
On March 6, the NCAA took away a total 12 basketball scholarships over the next four years, suspended Boeheim for the first nine ACC games of next season and ordered that wins must be vacated for games in which an ineligible athlete competed in.
Boeheim called the penalties "unduly harsh" and confirmed Syracuse's plans to appeal his suspension and his team's scholarship losses.
The press conference came just a day after Daryl Gross was re-assigned from his position as the director of athletics. Many national sports commentators have called for Boeheim to resign as well, but the head coach confirmed his plan to retire in three years during the press conference.
Syracuse University chancellor Kent Syverud said that decision was a result of a series of conversations that happened even before the NCAA report came out. Syverud disagreed with those who wanted Boeheim fired and said people should also consider Boeheim's accomplishments over the last few decades.
Said Syverud, "To expect perfection from any chancellor, any coach, any CEO or any leader that nothing will ever go wrong during their entire decade's long tenure is an unrealistic expectation."