Cal 2017 opponent Ole Miss self-imposes postseason ban, hit with lack of institutional control

Cal’s chances against one of their bigger non-conference opponents of the last few years got an additional boost. The Ole Miss Rebels have found the NCAA hot seat.

Ole Miss released a 20 minute video about the charges if you’d like to view them in perpuity below.

• Ole Miss has been charged with the dreaded “Lack of Institutional Control” charge, along with the “Failure to Monitor”.
• Ole Miss has three programs in their athletic department (Football, WBB, Track) that have committed multiple NCAA level one violations in the past 5 years.
• Ole Miss will forfeit its portion of SEC postseason football revenue for next season, which amounts to around $7.8 million.
• Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze is charged by the NCAA with violating head coach responsibility legislation. Ole Miss is contesting that charge.
• Ole Miss plans to appeal the Lack of Institutional Control charge as well

Three new allegations came to light that the university corroborated in the above video.

1. The first allegation – it is alleged that a prospective student-athlete (Prospective Student-Athlete A) went hunting near campus on private land owned by a booster during his official visit in 2013 and on two or three occasions after he enrolled, and that the access to this land was arranged by the football program. This has been alleged as a Level III violation.

2. The second allegation – it is alleged that between March 2014 and January 2015, a former staff member (Former Staff Member A) impermissibly arranged for recruiting inducements in the form of lodging and transportation for one prospective student-athlete (Prospective Student-Athlete B) (who enrolled at another institution) and his companions on several visits to campus and for the impermissible transportation of another prospective student-athlete (Prospective Student-Athlete C) on one occasion. The total value of the lodging and/or transportation between the two prospective student-athletes is alleged to be $2,272. It is also alleged that the football program provided approximately $235 in free meals to Prospective Student-Athlete B (who enrolled at another institution) and Prospective Student-Athlete C and the friends of Prospective Student-Athlete B during recruiting visits in this same timeframe. The allegation is alleged as a Level I violation.

3. Third, it is alleged that Former Staff Member A violated the NCAA principles of ethical conduct when he knowingly committed NCAA recruiting violations between March 2014 and February 2015 and when he knowingly provided false or misleading information to the institution and enforcement staff in 2016. This is charged as a Level I violation.

Given that the NCAA still has 21 allegations levied against Ole Miss, this feels like it’s only the beginning for the Rebels.

I can’t begin to guess what the impact will be on the Ole Miss program, but you’d guess the Rebels will be taking at least a step back in the SEC West. Contesting the charges will also drag out the NCAA process, so the program might not be quite as attractive recruiting-wise for Cal’s second meeting.

Cal will host Ole Miss in Berkeley on Saturday, September 16th this season. They are scheduled to return the trip to Oxford on Saturday, September 21st, 2019.