In the wake of the NCAA handing down sanctions on Syracuse University, the topic of head coaches being held accountable for actions in their program has arisen often.

SU football head coach Scott Shafer addressed the topic Tuesday evening, expressing his opinion that part of his job is to simply follow the rules the NCAA lays out for him.

“It’s got to be reasonable,” Shafer said of head coaches being held responsible. “You know, the speed limit’s 55, you have to stay within a reasonable speed so you don’t get a ticket.

“NCAA says we’re in charge of everything, then we’ve got to try and be in charge of everything.”

He went onto say that monitoring everyone under him is a difficult task, but one he, and any other head coach, is well aware they’ll have to undertake when they take a job. Syracuse’s football program will vacate 11 wins and be put on probation for five years, but neither penalty was the result of an occurrence during Shafer’s time as head coach.

He was one of the members of SU’s contingent to attend the Committee on Infractions hearing in Chicago in late October, and explained how he only attended because he was asked to, and was representing the program as its head coach.

“I was there for maybe two hours, really. I sat, listened and then I said, ‘Thanks for having me, I hope I never have to see you again,’” Shafer said. “That’s the truth of the story.”