OU football assistant DeMarco Murray suspended one game for recruiting violations

NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) — OU running backs coach DeMarco Murray has been suspended for one game for violating NCAA recruiting policies.

According to a news release posted on the NCAA website on Tuesday, Murray impermissibly contacted 17 prospects over 16 month, and told NCAA enforcement staff that he was not aware the Covid waiver of recruiting contact rules had expired.

However, enforcement staff determined that OU had properly educated staff on applicable rules and changes.

Since head coaches are deemed responsible for the actions of their staff under NCAA rules, OU head football coach Brent Venables violated head coach responsibility rules. Since Venables was not directly involved, though, enforcement staff determined that a suspension wasn't needed.

The OU football program and Murray will face the following penalties as a result of the recruiting violations:

• One year of probation.
• A $5,000 fine.
• A one-game suspension for Murray during the 2024 football season.
• A prohibition against football staff calling the involved prospects during the May 29-June 11, 2022, and April 15-May 31, 2023, periods (self-imposed).
• A 20% reduction in football recruiting days in spring 2023 (self-imposed).
• A prohibition against football staff from calling or corresponding with involved prospects from Aug. 1-31, 2023 (self-imposed).
• A limitation of Murray's 2023 football recruiting days to eight, down from an average 16.4 per recruiting coach (self-imposed).
• A prohibition from off-campus recruiting for Murray during the 2023 fall evaluation period (self-imposed).
• A three-week ban on recruiting phone and electronic correspondence for the football program from Dec. 8, 2024, to March 31, 2025.
• A prohibition against unofficial visits during the first game of the 2024 season.

The full release from the NCAA can be read here.

News 4 reached out to the OU Athletics Department for comment and received the following statement.

The University discovered the violations through its monitoring systems and investigated, reported, and addressed the matters promptly and appropriately. The violations in question were limited to the actions of a coach who is no longer employed by the University and a current assistant coach. OU worked with the NCAA to manage the review and reach a conclusion, and penalties imposed by the University are already in effect.

OU Athletics Department spokesperson