I'm not sure if it would have helped or not, but maybe they should have proactively banned themselves from bowl play this year since it was pretty much a lost season anyway. Maybe the NCAA would have accepted that instead of next year's ban...
I don't know if that was an option.
I think the NCAA would have still banned them for 2012.
I think the ban actually came about when the players suspension were increased, which is another reason why they SHOULD NOT Have been banned...
They already ruined 1 players season pushing his ban to 10 games.