Raiders’ Antonio Pierce Offered Recruits and Parents Perks Like Trips to Strip Club and Gun Range While at ASU, Per the NCAA
Antonio Pierce, the current head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, has been sanctioned by the NCAA for his involvement in an elaborate scheme to attract potential football players and their families while he was an assistant coach at Arizona State University (ASU). The scheme included trips to a strip club, a gun shooting range, and complimentary airfare, according to a report detailing NCAA infractions released on Thursday.
The NCAA investigation revealed that Pierce, along with other members of the ASU football staff and a booster, arranged unofficial visits to the school during the COVID-19 dead period. These visits occurred over 15 weekends and included tryouts, football facility tours, and entertainment for 35 prospects and their families. Pierce arranged for or personally provided free meals, apparel, airfare, and/or lodging for 27 prospects, often in collaboration with the booster, who was the parent of a then-football student-athlete in the program.
The NCAA noted that the meals, entertainment, and travel expenses associated with the unofficial visits constituted impermissible recruiting inducements. As a result, eight prospects who eventually enrolled at ASU went on to compete in 19 football games while ineligible.
Pierce has been given an eight-year show-cause penalty by the NCAA, which means if he were to return to college coaching within the next eight years, he would be suspended for 100% of his first season of employment. He has also been accused of failing to fully cooperate with the investigation, denying planning or arranging any portion of the visits, and failing to provide pertinent financial documentation requested by the enforcement staff.
