What Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany charitably calls "mistakes" are willful violations of the rules.

Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany delivered a widely noted message to conference coaches last week on the importance of following the rules.

"I said, 'I want to make sure everyone in this room understands when you come across certain kinds of information, you have a responsibility to report it up the chain of command. You do not have any discretion about that. ...They understand that. They all understood it. I believe they understood it even more going forward. So it was a good conversation. That's our expectation," he said.

Delany's message about the importance of operating within the rules is always welcome. But, frankly, what could be more obvious?

Big Ten football coaches work under contracts that require them to conform to NCAA rules. Universities maintain compliance programs to double-check coaches' conduct. Head coaches are required to submit regular reports attesting to their team's compliance.

Does anyone think that former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel didn't realize he was required to report his knowledge of violations within the OSU program up the chain of command? He knew exactly what he was supposed to do, and he fooled himself into believing no one would find out if he didn't comply.

Let's not kid ourselves about why big-time college sports programs get in trouble. The pressure to win is enormous everywhere, and people get fired if expectations are not met.

But they also can be fired if there's trouble with the NCAA. North Carolina, where the school president last week fired both the athletic director and head football coach, is the latest proof of that.

In that kind of pressurized environment, the temptation to skirt the rules, especially in ways that seem minor or, more important, not likely to be discovered, will always be there.

Coaches know the rules, and Delany knows they know the rules. To suggest otherwise is simply window dressing.