Ole Miss has posted notice of allegations, school’s response:

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/748608534594592769

Daniel Paulling of the Clarion-Ledger interviewed four former Ole Miss football players—defensive tackle Lavon Hooks, defensive Channing Ward, safety Trae Elston and offensive tackle Fahn Cooper— about taking any money during  from [sic] Hugh Freeze and his staff at Ole Miss.

All four said they received no money.

"He said it himself, so I'm not going to say he's lying about it,"  Ward said. "If he said it happened, it happened. I just hated it happened to him. He's a great guy."

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/HKellenbergerCL/status/753596130370256896

NCAA investigation of Ole Miss continues.

"I have zero update," coach Hugh Freeze said Thursday morning at the Southeastern Conference Media Days. "Obviously, our response is out in the allegations and it stands on its own. Obviously, we can't discuss any ongoing matters. That's one of the frustrating things, but out of respect for the process, you can't do it.

"We can talk about our integrity, talk about our core values, but I'm not sure that's what the media wants to talk about. Nobody wants it to be over more than I do. I'm ready to concentrate on our team building a relevancy in college football, which we will."

Freeze added he spoke with athletic director Ross Bjork about a timeline for the process.

"I...did not get any concrete answer," Freeze said. "It's moving, I think. I'm not involved with the fact-finding at this point. I think it is moving, but it would be a total guess, and that's exactly what Ross told me yesterday, it would be a total guess if we started talking about timeline.

"I would love for it to be sooner than later. I'm not crazy about the idea of it happening in the middle of the season for sure, but if it does, it does. We'll go argue our facts and side of things and then we'll be held accountable for the things that happened in or around our program."

The NCAA sent Ole Miss a notice of allegations on Jan. 22 that alleged 28 violations, including 13 in the football program. However, former offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil said in April after being chosen in the NFL draft that he received money from coaches during his time at Ole Miss...

[jbcarol]

Daniel Paulling ‏@DanielPaulling 4m4 minutes ago

Freeze said he hopes Tunsil is cooperating with NCAA.

[Pulled(PP)pork]

Daniel Paulling ‏@DanielPaulling 4m4 minutes ago

Freeze said he hopes Tunsil is cooperating with NCAA.

bwahahahahaha, that's rich


PP

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/RossDellenger/status/753930377291444224

Since those allegations came to light, Freeze and his players have done their best to stand together and dig in.

"When you go back into our building, it is really easier then what people think," Freeze said Thursday as SEC media days wrapped up. "When you look at the issues, with the percentage of our team all in, it gives me motivation."

Freeze brought in top-20 recruiting classes every year since 2013, with headliners like Laremy Tunsil, Laquon Treadwell and Robert Nkemdiche. The Rebels went on to knock off Alabama the past two seasons and thrilled their fans with a Sugar Bowl win over Oklahoma State on Jan. 1.

But trouble was on the horizon.

In May, Ole Miss self-imposed the loss of 11 scholarships over the next four years.

"As the head coach, I understand that I'm held accountable for the things that happened in and outside our building," Freeze said. "It is extremely hard to seek the resolution in this case and also the events on NFL draft night. I look forward to the conclusion of this entire process. No one looks forward to that more than I do."

[jbcarol]

Daniel Paulling ‏@DanielPaulling 5m5 minutes ago

Will Ole Miss receive exemplary cooperation from the committee on infractions?

https://t.co/JmSQDfpDqu

OXFORD - Ole Miss believes its efforts during the NCAA's previous investigation means the school should receive the designation of "exemplary cooperation" from the committee on infractions. The school referred to the phrase 16 times in its response to a notice of allegations.

But whether the committee on infractions will judge the school as having displayed such cooperation — something commonly considered as going above and beyond the basic level of cooperation required by all NCAA programs — remains difficult to determine.

There aren't many previous cases that could provide precedent because the NCAA began using the bylaw, which includes exemplary cooperation along with a new penalty structure, in August 2013, said sports attorney Michael Buckner...

An NCAA spokeswoman declined to make any members of the committee available for comment, and attempts to reach several of them independently were unsuccessful.

Receiving the designation would benefit Ole Miss because it would be considered a mitigating factor, something the committee considers as a reason to lessen a school's punishment.

Ole Miss received four other mitigating factors (against three aggravating factors) in the notice of allegations sent in January, but the school remains under investigation after former offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil's comments in April that he received money from employees while in school...

Twelve of the past 30 cases ruled upon by the committee mentioned the words exemplary cooperation with eight schools receiving it and four being denied it.

"I think the key is that there's still a really high threshold in order to achieve this," said Louisiana-Lafayette associate athletic director of academics and compliance Jessica Leger, whose school received it in January. "It's not something they give to everyone. It's based on the facts of your case.

"I think the key is you have to be fully devoted to not being on defense in terms of your philosophy in the investigative process. If you're going into it with the mindset you're going to be on the defensive and try to protect your institution as much as possible from the NCAA, you're likely to miss opportunities where you could be forthcoming."

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

Daniel Paulling ‏@DanielPaulling 4m4 minutes ago

Freeze said he hopes Tunsil is cooperating with NCAA.

      Next, Freeze will claim he hopes that Ole Miss gets a bowl ban for 5 years, & lose 25 football scholarships.     

[jbcarol]

Michael Carvell ‏@Carvell_AJC 14m14 minutes ago

Ole Miss AD Ross Bjork provides update on NCAA investigation 
https://www.seccountry.com/mississippi/ole-miss-ad-ross-bjork-provides-update-on-ncaa-investigation

NCAA is still investigating the Rebels regarding the Laremy Tunsil draft night situation.

"We're ready for it to be over," Bjork told Spirit Ben Garrett. "We wish we had the final chapter written in this case. It is still ongoing. We're still looking into the matters around the (NFL) draft night situation with Laremy Tunsil."

Bjork cited NCAA rules that prevented him from speaking any further on the matter.

Earlier this week Missouri accepted its punishment from the NCAA regarding the Tiger basketball program. Bjork was asked how the Rebel program will continue to act going forward and when a final resolution comes.

"All we can do is continue to do the right thing and continue to believe in our program and how and why we do things," Bjork said.

The Ole Miss AD also gave his support on Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze.

"I think (Ole Miss head football) coach (Hugh) Freeze has been front and center on this, and I think he's done a great job representing our football program, representing our university and really being diligent about this matter," Bjork said.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/SpiritBen/status/761615435339010048

[jbcarol]

Freeze: NCAA matter "hasn't stolen our joy."

NCAA investigation into the Ole Miss football program is nearing its fourth month, but it doesn't seem to be having an impact on any of the Rebels.

"It hasn't stolen our joy at all," coach Hugh Freeze said.

"We hear stuff, but we don't worry about it," tight end Evan Engram said. "We have people handling that. The only thing we're talking about, working for, is getting ready to play Florida State. All that (NCAA) stuff is being handled. It's out of our control."

NCAA re-opened its investigation into the football program following former offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil's comments in April that he received money from staffers while on the team. It's unclear how the cases involving the other two sports have been impacted.

Freeze was later asked Monday if he was worried about a possible punishment to himself after the NCAA adopted a bylaw that holds head coaches responsible for the actions of people who report to them unless the head coaches have shown they promoted an atmosphere of compliance.

His answer was, once again, short.

"I'm worried about our football team," Freeze said. "I think several of y'all got some good sources that could probably give you more information than we have."