SPORTS

Auburn won't appeal Bruce Pearl's show-cause penalty

James Crepea
Montgomery Advertiser

Bruce Pearl returns to Knoxville on Jan. 31.

AUBURN – Bruce Pearl will serve his full three-year NCAA show-cause penalty after Auburn elected not to appeal by last week's deadline, the school announced Tuesday.

"I felt strongly that not appealing the show-cause order was the right thing to do, and coach Pearl wholeheartedly agreed we should not contest it," Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said in a statement. "When I decided to hire coach Pearl, I was well aware of these restrictions and their ramifications. Coach Pearl and I both respect the process and we will fully honor the show-cause until it expires in August."

Pearl, who agreed to take over Auburn's beleaguered men's basketball program on March 18, will not be allowed to take part in any recruiting activities until Aug. 24. Assistant coaches Tony Jones, Chuck Person and Harris Adler, who a source confirmed will be hired as Pearl's final assistant, will do all recruiting for Auburn until Pearl's penalty is complete.

"When I received my show-cause penalty from the NCAA in August 2011, I chose then not to appeal as it would lessen my position of accountability," Pearl said in a statement. "Auburn University, the SEC and the NCAA have given me an opportunity to return to coaching before my show-cause ends and I am grateful. I have confidence in our coaching staff's ability to present Auburn University and its men's basketball program until my show-cause ends August 24, 2014."

On Monday, SEC commissioner Mike Slive told reporters on he spoke with Jacobs and "my understanding is they're not doing anything about it."

Jacobs told the Advertiser a final decision about whether to appeal Pearl's show-cause was not made as of April 10.

"We will not miss the deadline," Jacobs said April 10. "We'll make a final call one way or the other."

Slive met with Pearl, formerly of Tennessee, on April 1 in Birmingham and "cleared the air."

"Bruce has faced up to the mistakes he made, publicly," Slive said. "Assuming he does what he says he's going to do then we're ready to move ahead."