If the NCAA determines that Georgia running back Todd Gurley received impermissible benefits, the length of a suspension likely would hinge on the value of those benefits.
NCAA Bylaw 12.1.2.1.6 sets specific guidelines for such penalties:
1. Value of the benefit ranges from greater than $100 to $400 = withholding of 10 percent (of games) and repayment;
2. Value of the benefit ranges from greater than $400 to $700 = withholding of 20 percent (of games) and repayment;
3. Value of benefit ranges greater than $700 = withholding of 30 percent (of games) and repayment.
Barring other circumstances that might add to the penalty, the guidelines indicate a suspension would range from one to four games if a player receives benefits worth more than $100. In a 2010 case involving five Ohio State players, for example, a fifth game was added to the suspensions. A particularly substantial case could result in loss of eligibility for the remainder of the season.
Check back later today for a Q&A on other aspects of the Gurley case.
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