Erickson’s Nightmare Escalates Paper’s Investigation Uncovers More Slime In Miami Program

In a litany of lawlessness, the Miami Hurricanes’ football program was marked by guns, sexual assault, drugs, drinking and clashes with police, The Miami Herald reported Thursday.

Allegations of lax discipline surfaced earlier in the form of a Pell Grant scandal, a pay-for-play scheme and an inconsistent drug-testing policy. The latest disclosures could further tarnish the 63-9 record compiled by coach Dennis Erickson before he left in January to coach the Seattle Seahawks.

The Herald’s story stemmed from interviews with more than 50 current and former athletic officials, players and others close to the team, and spanned Erickson’s six-year tenure. the findings included:

Sexual misconduct: Women were humiliated and sometimes assaulted in the football dormitories, according to police officers, players, wives and girlfriends. One former student told the paper she was assaulted by several players in 1990, and Erickson talked her out of going to the police.

Violence: Campus police claim Erickson was called repeatedly to the athletic dorm to control players during late-night fights. Former Hurricanes defensive back Charles Pharms said he and several players owned guns and would often fire them from dormitory windows into the sky when they were “drinking and having fun.”

Alcohol abuse: Assistant coaches were arrested on drinking-related charges.

Drugs: A former secretary to the assistant coaches, Beth Samartino, said she often bought marijuana for players and smoked it with them in their rooms. She resigned in 1994 after being arrested for possession of marijuana. It was her second arrest while at the university, the first being for cocaine possession in 1989.

Arrests: At least a dozen players on last year’s team were arrested while at Miami. Charges included possession of cocaine and battery on a police officer. In three of the cases, charges were dropped. Erickson wanted star receiver Lamar Thomas to continue playing in 1992 after the federal government accused him of lying about family income to quality for $2,300 in Pell Grant aid.

Erickson also stands accused of withholding positive drug-test results from current athletic director Paul Dee to keep players eligible.

Erickson declined to comment on the latest allegations.