a show-cause penalty is an order saying that for a set period of time, any NCAA penalties imposed on a coach involved in major rules violations at a university's athletic program will remain in force if he is hired by any other NCAA member institution. Both the school and coach are required to send letters to the NCAA agreeing to abide by any restrictions imposed, and report back to the NCAA every 6 months until the end of employment or the show-cause, whichever comes first. If the school wishes to avoid the NCAA restrictions imposed on that individual, it must appear before the NCAA Committee on Infractions and "show cause" as to why it should not be penalized for hiring him.
[1] The penalty is intended to follow a coach for violations that he had a role in committing. It is the most severe penalty that can be handed down to a coach.
Contrary to popular belief, an NCAA member school is allowed to hire a coach with a show-cause order outstanding. In practice, however, the show-cause restrictions make it prohibitively difficult for a coach with a show-cause order to get another collegiate job. As mentioned above, any school that hires a coach with a show-cause order in effect can be penalized merely for doing so. Additionally, that school can face severe penalties if a coach commits another violation during the length of the penalty.
[2] Consequently, most schools will not even consider hiring a coach with a show-cause penalty in effect. For this reason, a show-cause penalty usually has the effect of
blackballing a coach from the collegiate ranks for the duration of the penalty. Many coaches who are given such a penalty never coach again, even after the expiration of the penalty.
