New Pete Thamel article just came out...

[Faustdog]

http://www.si.com/college-football/2017/02/24/ole-miss-rebels-ncaa-investigation-hugh-freeze

Key quotes include...

No one SI spoke to for this story downplayed the 15 Level I violations. A former committee member, who asked to remain anonymous, has seriously tracked NCAA cases for more than 15 years and couldn’t recall a case with that many. (Violations used to be classified as major and secondary, which makes comparisons imperfect. Now they are broken up from Level I to Level IV. Level I is the most serious). “In terms of sheer numbers, I can’t recall anything that matches this,” the former committee member said. “I just don’t recall anything that’s more serious.”

Without delving too much into dramatic speculation, it’s safe to say that the one-year postseason ban and 11 scholarships are a bare minimum of what Ole Miss expected to get from the NCAA. “I don’t think I ever remember a case in which the COI actually accepted everything the school has done [and didn’t add anything],” said a veteran Committee on Infractions member who asked to remain anonymous.
Universities are extremely calculated and conservative in how they come up with self-imposed punishments. In other words, they’ve spent too many billable hours to punish themselves too severely.
“Never,” said Thomas, about being too strict on self-imposing. “Almost in capital letters. Never, ever.”
So there’ll be more, inevitably.

As one former NCAA investigator said: “If a majority of these charges are found by the committee, my guess is a one-year postseason ban won’t be enough. Chances are, Ole Miss is going to get another one.”

“If it’s a willful and intentional violation of rules, he should not be allowed to coach, “ said a Power 5 coach. “The rule says that coaches can’t coach [when NCAA issues occur]. We’re going to find out about the whole head coach control thing.”

When determining things like institutional control, a significant academic charge should not be downplayed. Despite some of Ole Miss’s initial spin on this story rooted in placing the most serious violations under Nutt, it doesn’t really matter when the infractions happened. That spin is now moot with the revised letter, but the seriousness of the academic piece could loom large.

 

[OliveBranchDAWG]

Probably the most reasonable and objective article I've read since Wednesday's news.

The 15 Level 1's quote is what OM should be terrified of. It's unprecedented.

 

[Dawg_4_lifes]

Hugh Freeze be like : Received 2nd handwritten letter from the NCAA! #Blessed #Fam

 

[vhdawg]

The academic fraud piece and what will result of that I don't think has been discussed enough. Whatever players are wrapped up in that are going to be declared ineligible, and whatever victories they participated in are going to be vacated. How many seasons that stretches across is the interesting part that I don't know, but nobody is discussing that.

 

[DogStuckAtUM.sixpack]

Bruce Feldman/Neal McCready/Edward Aschoff/Steven Godfrey/Barett Sallee/Chuck Rounsaville/Scott Rousel/Hugh Kellenberger is to Hugh Freeze

as

Pete Thamel is to Dan Mullen

At least we have one. We suck at PR.**

 

[Bulldogg31]

Probably the most reasonable and objective article I've read since Wednesday's news.

The 15 Level 1's quote is what OM should be terrified of. It's unprecedented.

He's right also about the ACT's. I've always thought the faking of ACT scores would be the violation the NCAA punishes most severely as it directly affects eligibility of student athletes.

 

[BiscuitEater]

Key quotes include ..

Serious question .. Does Bucky make the cover of SI this week. **

 

[Xenomorph]

It's a gross mischaracterization if they get hit with Lack of Instutuonal Control.

They've always been, if nothing else, in COMPLETE control. The coaching staff has controlled the fake ACT scores. The AD has controlled the dissemination of funds to players and recruits. Freeze has controlled the introduction of recruits to boosters.

Lack of control, my ***....

 

[patdog]

Exactly. There's always going to be the random cash to a player. But what Mississippi is getting hammered for is for taking systematic, organized cheating to a new level.

 

[tatedog]

I'm praying these idiots don't have the good sense to clean house of all named individuals before going in front of the COI. I really think this is going to be the only leverage Ole Miss can bring to the table, and if they show up with the people charged still running the show, they are going to get smashed.

 

[Confucius Say]

I'm praying these idiots don't have the good sense to clean house of all named individuals before going in front of the COI. I really think this is going to be the only leverage Ole Miss can bring to the table, and if they show up with the people charged still running the show, they are going to get smashed.

Ding ding ding! Morons.

 

[Augustus McCrae]

It could never compete with the cover of SPS magazine.