Florida Gators football is under NCAA scrutiny.

The Florida Gators football program is under NCAA scrutiny.

The investigation has been underway since at least June 9, when the NCAA issued a notice of inquiry to UF President Ben Sasse. The NCAA’s enforcement staff delivers an official paper to schools informing them of the inquiry before interviewing any of their personnel or athletes.

The four-page memo does not describe the particular scope of the investigation or alleged violations. However, in October, the Tampa Bay Times requested any notices of inquiry involving potential violations of name, image, and likeness or recruiting. The request was initially denied but completed on Friday.

“We have been and will continue to cooperate with the NCAA,” Gators spokesman Steve McClain stated. “We maintain high standards of performance and ethics both on and off the field. We are unable to provide additional comments due to NCAA confidentiality restrictions.

The probe comes as NCAA enforcement attempts to stay up with the rapidly changing landscapes of recruiting, name, image, and likeness. Last year, the Gators were at the center of an eight-figure NIL dispute between blue-chip quarterback recruit Jaden Rashada and the third-party Gator Collective. Rashada signed with Florida before transferring to Arizona State, where he started two games as a true freshman.

The NCAA sanctioned the Gators in a separate case in December 2020. They were given a one-year probation for recruiting violations under then-coach Dan Mullen. A Level II infraction occurred when Mullen and an assistant met with a prospect who had not completed his junior year of high school. A Level III infringement concerned illegal contact between coaches and prospects on their way to a tournament in Tampa.

Last week, Florida State was fined when offensive coordinator Alex Atkins drove a transfer prospect to a meeting with a booster who led a name, image, and likeness group. According to the NCAA-Seminoles negotiated settlement, that booster offered the potential $15,000 as a recruiting enticement.