Different context though.
It was their decision to lessen the load on PSU. "Are we not merciful ?"
I don't know what they'll do with NC - probably not death penalty - and I'd agree their punishments have weakened over the years. But that has more to do with their inability to obtain information. They don't have subpoena power to get bank account records and students aren't subject to FOIA. All issues highlighted by the Miami scandals, where the NCAA couldn't legally do anything even after they found the truth due to the way that info was obtained. Schools have realized they can just blackball NCAA and there's nothing NCAA can do about it.
These are all limitations on what NCAA is capable of doing and their incongruous method of handing out punishment in an environment where they increasingly have less leverage to actually get information.
But here we are talking about a court of law and a legal process. They're backing down from this like they're backing down from the student-athlete, union, image rights, etc. stuff. It'll be fought out in a courtroom and they'll go to the bitter end, even if all they're left with are delay tactics and the entire ship is about to sink b/c they refuse to compromise.