Meyer fine with more severe NCAA sanctions

It might seem incongruous that a coach in charge of an NCAA-penalized program welcomes even more punitive sanctions to schools. But that's precisely where Ohio State coach Urban Meyer stands on the new NCAA guidelines on penalties.

The NCAA announced this week that it will levy more severe punishment to schools and coaches who break the rules. The association's board of directors passed a package of changes which hold coaches more accountable for rule-breaking and offers longer postseason bans and heftier fines for those who violate its bylaws.

The NCAA also increased the number of voting members of the infractions committee from 10 to 24 to expedite rulings.

"I'm fully supportive of it. I appreciate the NCAA revisiting the discipline and penalty structure because it was antiquated and it was time to make a change," Meyer said on the Big Ten coaches call on Tuesday. "I am in full support of very stringent penalties and keeping — or even restoring — the integrity of college football."

Asked why he thought the new legislation would work, Meyer said, "Throughout history, the only way to keep civilization (in order), and to keep things in order, is to have very strong rules and enforce them. There's no other way. Very strong rules. Clear rules with very firm and swift — it has to be a little bit more swift — punishment."

Ohio State had to vacate the 2010 season's records, repay bowl revenue, go on NCAA probation, revise its enforcement procedures, reduce scholarships and face a bowl ban after this season as a result of violations which occurred on the watch of former coach Jim Tressel.