Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Almost from the day he arrived at Arkansas, Athletic Director Jeff Long had Oct. 25, 2012 highlighted on his calendar.

It is an important date for the athletic department, though no press release or pep rally commemorated what can be viewed as something of a victory for the Razorbacks.

No longer is the program operating with the NCAA looking over its shoulder. Arkansas has emerged from the NCAA’s repeat violator window, a place the school mostly operated after penalties and probation were handed down for major infractions cases in basketball, football and track between 1997 and 2007.

Schools tagged as repeat violators are subject to harsher penalties by the NCAA. Arkansas has been on shaky ground with the governing body of college athletics for 15 years, a lengthy period of time.

“This is a significant date for us,” Long said. “We knew we were working toward this goal and we have had it marked.”

Arkansas came off probation for the track violations in 2010. Still, the school has operated under the stigma of being a double repeat violator. That status was in place until Oct. 25.

Now the Razorbacks have a clean slate as far as the NCAA is concerned. It is, Long said, “a relief” to no longer feel like the NCAA is standing over the program’s shoulder.

This is just the beginning for Arkansas.

John Infante, a compliance expert who now operates the Bylaw Blog, said while there is no longer an NCAA cloud over the program, the school must remain vigilant. Avoiding violations — and reporting them when they happen — continues to be a priority.

“Just because you are free from the enhanced penalties of being in the repeat violator window doesn't mean the AD or compliance office is all of the sudden going to allow violations,” Infante said.

Arkansas understands the importance of continuing to stay clean. Long said compliance has been a priority since he took over in 2008.

Not only was the school in trouble for previous major infractions, it was reporting an alarmingly low number of secondary violations. Because the Razorbacks were self-reporting so few infractions, it actually drew the attention of the NCAA and the SEC.

Arkansas averaged four self-reported violations in 2005-2007. Between 2008, when Long took over, and 2011 the average jumped to 12.5. Arkansas has self-reported 12 violations so far in 2012.

A low total of self-reported infractions gave the perception the Razorbacks were covering up something. Long has encouraged his coaches to be open when they break — or think they have broken — a rule.

“Secondary violations happen,” Long said. “It becomes major if you don’t handle it properly … and try to cover up. That’s been a big part of our culture and philosophical change.”