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AUBURN, Alabama ā The future of the Auburn basketball program is still uncertain, but Bruce Pearl believes all will be well when the dust settles.
On the heels of the NCAA alerting Auburn that guard Danjel Purifoy will be eligible following the first 30 percent of games next season, "ongoing" discussions are being had between head coach Pearl and the university's president's office, a school spokesperson told Auburn Undercover on Tuesday night.
Usually offseason discussions would include contract extensions, especially after a fourth-year coach leads the Tigers to an SEC title for the third time in school history and their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2003, but Auburn's president's office has made it clear such talks are not on the docket until any potential NCAA issues are addressed.
A firestorm enveloped the college basketball landscape before the start of the season. Auburn assistant head coach Chuck Person was arrested and charged on six federal bribery and fraud charges. Investigators allege he funneled $18,000 total to the families of Purifoy and center Austin Wiley.
āIn my mind, as long as there are no major findings that are tied to me, weāll be fine,ā Pearl told reporters following an 84-53 loss Sunday to Clemson in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. āWe certainly have other things that weāre going to have to answer to, and thatās why we have to go through this process.ā
That process will involve the NCAA, Pearl and university president Steven Leath have confirmed. The timetable, however, remains uncertain. The eligibility issues surrounding two players involved in the FBI scandal have been addressed: Wiley is eligible next season after sitting out the 2017-18 season and Purifoy will sit out an additional 30 percent of games next season. The status of support staffers Jordan Verhulst and Frankie Sullivan are also up in the air. They have been on administrative leave since November and information regarding their suspensions have been kept under wraps by Auburn and the president's office. The president's office did not immediately return messages requesting clarification on Verhulst and Sullivan.
Meanwhile, Pearl said Sunday he expects to return to Auburn for a fifth season.
āIām Auburnās basketball coach,ā Pearl said Sunday. āIām blessed and happy to be Auburnās basketball coach. I want to stay at Auburn. And Iāve got to say, all season long, I feel very good about the position weāre in, the process weāve gone through, and my anticipation is that Iāll be Auburnās basketball coach.ā
Auburn's athletics department has mostly stayed out of the way of the president's office in terms of handling the public-relations aspects of the investigation. Statements and announcements concerning the eligibility of players, Person's firing from Auburn and anything related to the FBI have been handled by the president's office.
Discussions 'ongoing' between Bruce Pearl, Auburn University president Steven Leath as NCAA questions loom
On the heels of the NCAA alerting Auburn that guard Danjel Purifoy will be eligible following the first 30 percent of games next season, "ongoing" discussions are being had between head coach Pearl and the university's president's office, a school spokesperson told Auburn Undercover on Tuesday night.
Usually offseason discussions would include contract extensions, especially after a fourth-year coach leads the Tigers to an SEC title for the third time in school history and their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2003, but Auburn's president's office has made it clear such talks are not on the docket until any potential NCAA issues are addressed.
A firestorm enveloped the college basketball landscape before the start of the season. Auburn assistant head coach Chuck Person was arrested and charged on six federal bribery and fraud charges. Investigators allege he funneled $18,000 total to the families of Purifoy and center Austin Wiley.
āIn my mind, as long as there are no major findings that are tied to me, weāll be fine,ā Pearl told reporters following an 84-53 loss Sunday to Clemson in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. āWe certainly have other things that weāre going to have to answer to, and thatās why we have to go through this process.ā
That process will involve the NCAA, Pearl and university president Steven Leath have confirmed. The timetable, however, remains uncertain. The eligibility issues surrounding two players involved in the FBI scandal have been addressed: Wiley is eligible next season after sitting out the 2017-18 season and Purifoy will sit out an additional 30 percent of games next season. The status of support staffers Jordan Verhulst and Frankie Sullivan are also up in the air. They have been on administrative leave since November and information regarding their suspensions have been kept under wraps by Auburn and the president's office. The president's office did not immediately return messages requesting clarification on Verhulst and Sullivan.
Meanwhile, Pearl said Sunday he expects to return to Auburn for a fifth season.
āIām Auburnās basketball coach,ā Pearl said Sunday. āIām blessed and happy to be Auburnās basketball coach. I want to stay at Auburn. And Iāve got to say, all season long, I feel very good about the position weāre in, the process weāve gone through, and my anticipation is that Iāll be Auburnās basketball coach.ā
Auburn's athletics department has mostly stayed out of the way of the president's office in terms of handling the public-relations aspects of the investigation. Statements and announcements concerning the eligibility of players, Person's firing from Auburn and anything related to the FBI have been handled by the president's office.
Discussions 'ongoing' between Bruce Pearl, Auburn University president Steven Leath as NCAA questions loom
