New McNeese State coach Will Wade has been suspended five games and isn’t allowed to recruit off campus until August, according to the terms of his new contract.
KPLC in Louisiana obtained Wade’s contract on Tuesday, revealing his suspension and recruiting restrictions.
McNeese’s decision to suspend Wade for the first five games of next season is likely an attempt to mitigate any looming NCAA sanctions stemming from Wade’s time at LSU.
LSU fired Wade on the eve of the NCAA tournament just over a year ago after the school received a notice of allegations from the NCAA detailing five Level I violations and a Level II violation involving Wade. He was also suspended shortly before the 2019 NCAA tournament after reports revealed that a federal wiretap captured him discussing an offer for a recruit.
According to documents obtained by ESPN in August 2020, the NCAA’s enforcement staff received information that Wade “arranged for, offered and/or provided impermissible payments, including cash payments, to at least 11 men’s basketball prospective student-athletes, their family members, individuals associated with the prospects and/or nonscholastic coaches in exchange for the prospects’ enrollment at LSU.”
The case is being adjudicated through the Independent Accountability Resolution Process, and LSU and Wade are still awaiting a ruling.
Wade’s contract at McNeese is worth $1.175 million over five years, not including bonuses.
According to the contract obtained by KPLC, Wade will also be severely restricted on the recruiting trail for his first offseason at the helm. In addition to a lack of off-campus recruiting until August — which covers the important April and July live evaluation periods — Wade also has limits on the number of recruits he can host on official visits and is banned from recruiting conversations and hosting unofficial visits for six weeks from Sept. 1 to Oct. 15.
Wade was at LSU for five seasons, guiding the Tigers to the 2019 SEC title and three straight NCAA tournament appearances to end his tenure.