Ole Miss Rebels head coach Pete Golding's dastardly flip of Cal Golden Bears transfer linebacker Luke Ferrelli from the Clemson Tigers has finally gotten a response from the NCAA.
Per College Football insider Ross Delleger on Monday night, "In a memo sent today to NCAA schools, VP of Enforcement Jon Duncan announces that the DI Board of Directors has charged the staff to 'pursue significant penalties' for tampering violations, while also more publicly announcing cases, and reminded schools about the tampering bylaw. The NCAA staff is working with an 'infractions modernization task force' to expedite the process of investigating potential rules violators for tampering and other matters, Duncan says in the letter, in an effort to 'better serve the new era of Division I.'"
The University of Mississippi hasn't been directly penalized for Golding asking Ferrelli about his buyout during a class on Clemson University's campus. Not yet, at least. Perhaps this is the groundwork for the NCAA retroactively pursuing Ole Miss. After all, the reactions to the social media posts all pointed to the Rebels. Those at the NCAA's headquarters in Indianapolis are surely aware of this narrative.
The NCAA couldn't go on not addressing one of its worst PR stories, one that undermines the collegiate system in the United States. It's unclear if this is a face-saving move or if the hammer is coming for Golding and Co.
Pete Golding's dastardly deeds were supported by an SEC legend
It seemed that Golding was about to get away with the Ferrelli flip, but perhaps former South Carolina Gamecocks and Florida Gators coach Steve Spurrier's blatant support of it put the whole thing on the NCAA's radar.
Spurrier basically mocked Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney for being upset about losing Ferrelli in the manner his program did.
"I thought by now, somebody would've told Dabo, 'Dabo, there ain't no rules anymore,'" Spurrier said while laughing in a social media clip from The Post and Courier's Jon Blau, from a Zoom call with media about Spurrier's upcoming induction into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, per USA Today.
"They're still on the books, I guess, back there (at Clemson) about you can't do it after this date or that date ... I don't know if they're going to ever enforce any rules now or not, but I think Dabo has learned now, he's got to start paying his players just like everybody else is, or you'll get left behind. ... You can complain but I don't know how good it's going to do."
Should we look into South Carolina and Florida's past audits now, after that weird endorsement of Golding's bad behavior? Is Spurrier just being pro-SEC? Or does he still have an issue with his former Palmetto State rival, Dabo?
Justice may be served on Golding for Swinney. Either way, the NCAA has taken a stand and let its member institutions know that tampering will be dealt with.
To what degree? TBD.