NCAA penalizes Raiders’ Pierce for ASU violations
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Kyle Bonagura, ESPN Staff Writer
Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce was slapped with an eight-year show-cause order because of violations that occurred when he was an assistant coach at Arizona State, the NCAA announced Thursday.
Most of the violations were related to what the NCAA referred to as a “scheme” orchestrated by Pierce to circumvent restrictions in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pierce facilitated impermissible recruiting contact with 35 prospects, including “tryouts, football facility tours and entertainment.” It was also determined he directed an assistant to engage in tampering with a player enrolled at another school and traveled out of state to observe and meet with prospects during a recruiting dead period.
“In arriving at an eight-year show-cause order for Pierce, the panel emphasized his role as the ringleader in orchestrating the recruiting violations,” according to the report from the NCAA.
In the event Pierce is hired by a NCAA school during the show-cause order — which runs until Oct. 2, 2032 — he would be suspended for the first football season and would be allowed no contact with any of the program’s coaches or players during that period.
During the investigation, Pierce provided “false or misleading information” and was unwilling to provide his financial records, according to the report. One ASU staff member told the NCAA that Pierce “did not fear the potential consequences for NCAA violations due to the financial security provided by his self-proclaimed wealth.”
“Pierce used his position of authority to pressure staff members into engaging in violations, often by instilling fear that they would lose their jobs if they did not follow his orders,” the report says.
The NCAA also issued a five-year show-cause order for former ASU football analyst Anthony Garnett, who participated in the violations. Garnett would face a one-season suspension if hired during the next five years.
In the 67-page report, there are several mentions of former booster Regina Jackson, the mother of former ASU and current Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, who assisted with setting up impermissible campus visits and other violations. Daniels transferred from ASU to LSU after the 2021 season, won the Heisman Trophy in 2023 and was selected No. 2 in the 2024 NFL draft by the Commanders.
In April, the NCAA punished ASU with four years of probation, an undisclosed fine, vacated games in which ineligible players competed, reduced scholarships and recruiting restrictions.
Pierce was hired by ASU head coach Herm Edwards in December 2017 and was promoted to associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator in February 2020. Edwards, who now works for ESPN, was fired after the Sun Devils went 1-2 to start the 2022 season. He was found to have committed a “responsibility violation,” the NCAA announced in April.
Pierce resigned from ASU in 2022 and was hired as the Raiders linebackers coach. He was named the Raiders interim coach in October 2023 and was hired for the job permanently in January.
The Raiders declined comment Thursday.
ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez contributed to this report.
Tulane coach Jon Sumrall has emerged as the clear favorite to be the next head coach of the Florida Gators, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Florida turned its attention away from Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin earlier this week after getting the sense through irregular communication that he is interested in other options, likely a move to LSU or remaining with the Rebels, sources told ESPN on Friday.
Sumrall is expected to make a decision on his future by Sunday morning as he considers staying at Tulane or a move to Gainesville. He also received significant interest from Auburn, but the Tigers have since shifted their focus to other candidates, another indicator that Florida looms as the clear leader for Sumrall’s services, sources said.
Sumrall, a former SEC player at Kentucky, where he later served as an assistant coach and co-defensive coordinator, is 18-7 in two seasons at Tulane. He also won back-to-back Sun Belt titles as head coach at Troy in 2022 and 2023.
Sumrall, 43, garnered outside interest after his first season with Tulane, earning a contract extension after just one season at the helm.
Tulane (9-2) hosts Charlotte on Saturday night in its regular-season finale. The Green Wave can clinch a spot in the American Conference championship game against North Texas with a win over the 49ers.
Rivalry Week has already seen one upset that will affect a conference championship and College Football Playoff seeding. Could we see another one?
On Friday, Texas upset the Texas A&M Aggies to give A&M its first loss of the season and knock the Aggies out of the SEC championship game. Michigan is in a strikingly similar position. Ohio State is undefeated and No. 1 in the CFP rankings. It needs a win to set up a meeting with Indiana in next week’s Big Ten title game.
OSU has been largely unchallenged since defeating Texas in Week 1, and now it faces its biggest rival, which is hasn’t beaten in four years. Can the Wolverines pull another upset? It’s “The Game,” and we’re tracking the top moments and biggest plays:
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