ASU to ask for leniency from NCAA

ASU Hornets interim athletic director Ron Dickerson

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Alabama State University officials will plead for mercy today when they go before the NCAA infractions committee.The eight-person committee will include four attorneys, two law school professors, University of Miami athletic director Paul Dee and Mid-East Athletic Conference commissioner Dennis Thomas. Josephine Potuto, a law professor from the University of Nebraska, will serve as the chairman.

The decision on whether Cole committed major rules violations is important for ASU because the school has $250,000 on the line -- the amount left on Cole's contract when ASU fired him in 2003 for allegedly committing several major violations. If he is cleared of the final three violations against him -- the school accused him of more than 14 violations -- Cole would be due the $250,000.

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Former ASU coach hopes to get NCAA charges dropped

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - Former Alabama State University coach L.C. Cole says he hopes to have alleged NCAA rules violations against him dropped or reduced to minor charges.

"I'm happy that it's coming to an end, but I'm anxious over how it's going to play out," said Cole, who was fired by ASU in 2003 and now coaches in the Canadian Football League.

The Montgomery Advertiser reported Monday that Cole might benefit financially if the charges are reduced to minor status. When fired, Cole had two years left on a contract that paid him about $125,000 annually and stipulated it could be terminated only if he was found to commit major NCAA violations, the newspaper said.

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ASU responds to NCAA allegations: L.C. Cole hopes to clear his name

Photo: Texas Southern University first year head coach Johnnie Cole.

After nearly five years, Alabama State's NCAA rules infraction case is winding down. On Friday, school officials sent in their final response to numerous alleged rules violations -- many of which the school self-reported -- and former head football coach L.C. Cole said his attorney plans to send in his response on Monday to the four charges he's facing.

In addition, there were several indications late in the week that former ASU assistant coach Johnnie Cole, L.C.'s brother, had been cleared of all major violations in the case. Contacted on Friday, Johnnie Cole, now the head coach at Texas Southern University, said the NCAA had told him that he couldn't discuss the situation. Johnnie had been charged with three major violations when he was suspended in 2003 from his job as offensive coordinator.

L.C. Cole, in the meantime, is set to argue his innocence once more.

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