New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - Alabama staffer penalized for role in Miami scandal

Alabama director of football operations Joe Pannunzio was punished by the school for his role in the ongoing NCAA investigation into Miami , the Associated Press reported Thursday.

A former tight ends coach for the Hurricanes, Pannunzio was not named in February's NCAA notice of allegations against Miami. But the Crimson Tide issued a public list of 31 secondary violations across all sports Thursday, an announcement that included penalties for one unnamed football staff member.

The AP cited a source that identified that staff member as Pannunzio, who received no raise or contract extension for a year, was barred from communicating with recruits for 90 days and was required to attend an NCAA regional rules seminar.

Though the NCAA declined to level any allegations against Pannunzio personally, the Tide announcement specified that the staff member "provided impermissible benefits to a prospect and his family and introduced prospect to a booster while at another institution" -- that booster, of course, being the infamous Nevin Shapiro.

Alabama also reported six other violations involving the football program, the most serious of which cited Crimson Tide coaching staff for exceeding the number of allowed off-campus contacts with a recruit. The involved coaches were prohibited from recruiting off-campus for the first week of the spring evaluation period and received "letters of admonishment," per the AP.

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