NCAA Puts North Dakota Football on Probation for Tampering by Assistant Coach

Overview

• The NCAA found that assistant coach Travis Stepps knowingly communicated with a player who had not entered the transfer portal and the school self-reported the contacts to its compliance office.
• The Division I Committee of Infractions and North Dakota agreed to the resolution without a formal hearing, with the parties concluding tampering occurred.
• The school accepted a one-year probation and a $25,000 fine along with targeted recruiting limits that include a one-week communication ban during the January 2027 transfer-notification window.
• Stepps received a one-year show-cause order that will bar him from communicating with four-year transfer prospects during the January 2027 window and a one-game suspension for the 2026 season.
• Head coach Eric Schmidt was held automatically responsible under head-coach rules but was found not personally involved and will receive no individual penalties, a result that reduces wider staff liability but will still narrow UND’s recruiting options in the coming cycle.