Who's who in University of Colorado football scandal

Rocky Mountain News

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Betsy Hoffman

Mary Lacy

Richard Byyny

Dick Tharp

Who?s who in University of Colorado football scandal

THEN

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO PRESIDENT

Betsy Hoffman: Resigned in 2005 as president of the university. Signed on with Marsico Funds as an independent trustee and then joined Iowa State University as executive vice president and provost in September 2006.

BOULDER DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Mary Lacy: The first woman elected to lead the Boulder DA's office. She had warned CU athletic officials about sex and alcohol at a recruiting party in 1997, when she was a deputy prosecutor. After she reviewed the facts of the December 2001 party, she did not charge anyone with sexual assault, but she did help Lisa Simpson find an attorney to sue the school and gave statements in support of the suit.

CU CHANCELLOR AT BOULDER

Richard Byyny: Resigned from his position in December 2004, was blamed by an independent commission for not providing enough oversight. He took the job of Executive Director of Health Policy Center at the University of Colorado Hospital at Fitzsimons in Aurora, starting in March 2005.

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

Dick Tharp: Fired in November 2004. Tharp remains in Boulder, working in private business. He is a part-owner of Liquor Mart, owns several coin-operated car washes and owns property in downtown Boulder. He spent much of this fall traveling to and from Boise State football games watching his son, Taylor, the school's senior quarterback.

FOOTBALL COACH

Gary Barnett: CU's head coach for seven seasons. Barnett was fired by Bohn after the Buffaloes' 70-3 loss to Texas in the 2005 Big 12 Conference championship game. Barnett's declining on-field record (20-18 in his last three seasons, 49-39 overall) and a slump in recruiting were exacerbated by his comments about female placekicker Katie Hnida and a call for change among many boosters and season-ticket holders. Since his firing, Barnett has done radio commentary during the football season, but would like to return to coaching. He declined comment.

ASSISTANT COACHES/EMPLOYEES

Recruiting aide Nathan Maxey: Pleaded guilty to soliciting a prostitute and misusing his university cell phone. He was the only CU employee charged during the scandal.

Assistant coach Vance Joseph, photo left: Was investigated for alleged sexual harassment of members of the training staff and was placed on leave in April 2004.

PLAYERS

Six unnamed CU players and a similar number of recruits were involved in the infamous 2001 off-campus party. At least two of the players transferred, and none of the prospects who attended the party signed with CU.

NOW

Hank Brown: Named president in 2005. Immediately implemented reforms at the university and its private fundraising foundation. He ended the chapter involving the Lisa Simpson lawsuit Wednesday by settling with her for $2.5 million. "The decision was mine," he said.

Mary Lacy: Serving her last year as district attorney

Bud Peterson: Took the chancellor position in July 2006 and helped institute reforms in the athletic department, including limiting recruiting visits to 48 hours, training student hosts and implementing penalties for any deviation from university policies on alcohol.

Mike Bohn: Hired in April 2005 as Tharp's replacement. Bohn has revamped athletic department policy and personnel. In Bohn's first 15 months on the job, the department trimmed 17 full-time jobs, including those belonging to several long-time employees.

Dan Hawkins: Bohn's most important hire to date. Hawkins' first season (2006) produced a 2-10 record. But this season, the Buffaloes rebounded with a 6-6 mark, making them bowl eligible (Independence Bowl, Shreveport, La., Dec. 30). Hawkins also appears to have resurrected CU's recruiting, with his 2008 signing class potentially one of the school's best in a decade.

Hawkins' staff includes only one assistant who worked on Barnett's staff: linebackers coach Brian Cabral. Maxey's whereabouts are unknown, while Joseph is secondary coach for the San Francisco 49ers.

Those recruits and players have scattered, either graduating or leaving their respective schools when - or before - their athletic eligibility expired.

CU financial, recruiting and football policies

THEN

FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT

Accounting and financial reporting by the university and its fundraising arm, the CU Foundation, was criticized in a formal review.

RECRUITING POLICIES

As an outgrowth of the furor over the recruiting scandal, CU imposed recruiting restrictions more stringent than those of the NCAA. Official campus visits were shortened to one night (36 hours total, 12 fewer than the NCAA permits), an 11 p.m. curfew was established (it varies from school-to-school), player-host roles were abolished and assistant coaches were given more accountability in overseeing how official visits were spent.

FOOTBALL CAMP POLICIES

The football office was responsible for the entire operation of its summer skills camps on campus, a procedure that resulted in audits by the state and Internal Revenue Service to scrutinize sloppy accounting practices of about $780,000 in football camp revenue. Coach Gary Barnett and some of his assistants testified before a grand jury.

NOW

An operating agreement was created to clarify expectations of greater accountability and transparency. It redefined the university's fundraising services and simplified the relationship with the foundation. University President Hank Brown instituted a series of changes in accounting and procurement processes as part of the university's efforts to respond to internal audit recommendations.

Recruits visiting CU now can spend two nights (48 hours) but must abide by a midnight curfew. Also, the role of player-hosts has been re-established, and prospects are allowed more time with current players. Assistant coaches still have accountability for their recruits.

In May 2005, Mike Bohn began bringing the direction of all CU summer camps under the athletic department rather than have that duty fall to his various head coaches. Bohn said it was an attempt to centralize administration in an area that was "in my opinion, a little disjointed."