The “primary goal” of interim NCAA Enforcement Dir JONATHAN DUNCAN, who began an 18-month stint on the job on Monday, is to “restore confidence in the enforcement division, which has taken a hit” after the NCAA admitted missteps in its investigation of the Univ. of Miami, according to Rachel George of USA TODAY. While the NCAA enforcement staff of 55 “clears thousands of cases each year without fanfare, Duncan is cognizant of the tarnish brought by the Miami case.” Duncan said that he and his staff “would examine which investigative tactics were acceptable and which were out of bounds.” He added that “some member schools had reached out to express concerns about the enforcement staff’s work but others had called to commend it” (USA TODAY, 3/15). ESPN.com’s Joe Schad noted Duncan “has practiced at a Kansas City law firm, Spencer Fane Britt & Browne” since ’03. Duncan “also understands how the NCAA works.” He “first represented the NCAA in litigation in 1998 and has provided counsel to a variety of NCAA committees and working groups while also working on reinstatement cases over the past 15 years.” Duncan said that “without subpoena powers ... the task for an NCAA enforcement employee is challenging” (ESPN.com, 3/14).
