In the wake of numerous former University of Miami football players receiving an ultimatum from the NCAA, an attorney representing several of those players said Wednesday he has contacted the NCAA to challenge its position.

The NCAA has threatened to assume that Nevin Shapiro’s allegations against them are true if they do not agree to be interviewed by the NCAA by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, a prominent Miami attorney not involved in the case said those players potentially would have legal grounds for lawsuits if the NCAA follows through on that threat.

“It would be catastrophic for the NCAA to do something that outrageous,” said Miami attorney Ben Kuehne, a former president of the Miami-Dade County Bar Association.

The NCAA last week sent a letter to numerous former UM players and their attorneys telling them they have a Friday deadline to speak to the NCAA about Shapiro’s allegations against them, adding: “If we do not hear back from you or your clients by that time, the staff will consider the non-response as your client’s admission of involvement in NCAA violations.”

The letter was signed by Molly Richman, assistant director of the NCAA enforcement. The NCAA’s infractions committee — not the enforcement department — ultimately will decide the University of Miami’s penalty, which might not be handed out until next summer.

Miami attorney Bruce Fleisher, who represents several former UM players who received the letter, said he wrote to the NCAA and made clear that his clients are not admitting to any violations if they don’t respond by the deadline.

Read more details at Barry Jackson’s Florida Sports Buzz.