Maryland from the mighty ACC is facing financial problems. They have been spending about $8 million more per year than they bring in. They have finally exhausted their reserves.
The first thing to remember is things aren't worse than ever before. I ran down some past scandals here
http://www.arkst.com/?p=1168
If you look around right now the big scandals have been improper contact with agents (UNC). Improper recruiting contact (Oregon). Extra benefits (Ohio State). Improper inducement to attend (apparently the Auburn case).
Most of those are a rules failing in my mind.
The NCAA needs to sit down with the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS and their player associations get a deal done. NCAA will permit players to hire an agent so they can get advice about turning pro but the leagues and player associations will strip the credentials of any agent that provides improper aid. It's good for the leagues because they don't want to be faced with whether to grab a raw talent and develop them or wait until they are ready, except now they can't go back to college.
Oregon in part was about trying to keep tabs on recruits during dead periods (I talk about that here
http://www.arkst.com/?p=1203 and here
http://www.arkst.com/?p=1222). Walk into the modern age and lift most of the limits on coaches contacting players. Kill signing day because the current system breeds panic. We think we are getting Tommy, website for Northeastsouthwestern says he's now leaning their way, school can't contact him legally. Let the coaches have more contact and let kids sign whenever they make up their mind. Once you know the kid is signed you aren't running scared trying to line-up other options. Today a recruiting class can literally fall apart in the hours before signing day because of problems at other schools or can end up being stellar because none of your prime choices got raided. Give the coaches a chance to get those signatures early on and worry about something else, the fear that arises in January isn't healthy for staying within the rules.
Ohio State, very simple. Follow the rule the same way you followed it with Georgia. If the NCAA had treated Ohio State the way it treated Georgia, the message gets sent. Break the rules and you pay. Tressel tried to cover it up, he should be under a show cause order, (ie. any school hiring him the next X years should be forced to come before the Committee on Infractions and explain why they shouldn't be placed on probation for hiring a known cheater).
Auburn. Not a lot you can do if Newton was paid other than finding a friendly IRS agent to nail any involved boosters and the player for breaking the law with unreported gifts and unreported income. Outside that, not much the rule book can do other than what is out there.