INDIANAPOLIS -- A few minutes into the interview, the NCAA's head of enforcement pauses to make himself clear.
"I'm not going to talk about specific cases," he says.
David Price has a policy about speaking publicly. In this instance, he refuses to discuss former USC athletes Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo, both of whom are suspected of accepting extra benefits while in school.
The Bush investigation has stretched past two years and the Mayo case, launched in May, could extend into 2009, reviving questions about the NCAA's ability and even willingness to police its member schools.
Mindful of such criticisms, Price and several of his 29 investigators recently agreed to address -- in general terms -- how they respond to potential violations.
The interviews took place at NCAA headquarters, a four-story complex at the edge of downtown highlighted by a sunlit atrium and a Michael Graves-designed museum.
The offices feature an open design, workers dressed casually, but there was a clear sense of gravity. Price met with a reporter one on one; his staff faced questions as a group, gathered around a table in a small conference room. In both instances, a public relations representative sat nearby, taking notes.
"Our investigators are very much out there on the line," said Tom Hosty, an enforcement director. "They know they're being scrutinized."
The NCAA does catch flak from both sides: Although some say it has no teeth, others insist it is too tough, acting beyond the scope of law.
The allegations that trigger investigations reach Indianapolis through tips from rival coaches, disgruntled professors or even the Internet. Athletic departments hear of a potential violation and report it themselves, hoping to lessen subsequent penalties.
Any hint of trouble can send athletic directors, coaches and athletes scrambling for their attorneys, so about two-thirds of the investigators have legal degrees. But they do not act as prosecutors, serving only to gather information for the Committee on Infractions, which consists of representatives from member schools and the public.
With limited staff to oversee more than 1,000 member institutions, Price often asks schools to conduct the investigations themselves or at least help. The schools may use their own compliance offices or hire law firms staffed by former NCAA investigators.
