As we approach the college football season, we revisit an insightful interview with Eric Dickerson from late 2021. The legendary player believes his delayed induction into the College Football Hall of Fame was partly due to the notorious scandal that shook his alma mater, Southern Methodist University (SMU).
Dickerson, known for his candid nature, didn’t hold back in the interview. “I guess I’m excited; it took such a long time, I’m just glad to still be here,” Dickerson shared as his induction date neared.
He explained that the SMU scandal, unrelated to him or his teammates, unjustly affected their reputations. “We were just kids,” he emphasized, “but they treated us like criminals for something we didn’t do.”
SMU faced severe NCAA penalties for its pay-to-play violations, an extreme punishment known as the “death penalty.” No program has faced such consequences since, and it seems unlikely another will in the future. Dickerson pointed to Penn State’s lenient treatment post-Jerry Sandusky scandal, questioning the fairness of the NCAA’s actions.
Dickerson expressed frustration over the double standard, arguing big programs like Texas or Alabama would never face similar punishment. “The NCAA is just as corrupt as the NFL,” he declared, accusing them of exploiting players while pretending to provide opportunities.
Reflecting on ESPN’s “Pony Excess,” Dickerson appreciated how the film revealed the truth about SMU’s situation. He emphasized that SMU wasn’t alone in breaking NCAA rules, asserting that many schools got away with similar practices.