Ole Miss takes issue with alleged violations
Mississippi State players reported recruiting gifts
Mississippi State football players Leo Lewis and Kobe Jones have, according to court documents, told the NCAA they received free merchandise from a clothing store while on recruiting trips to Ole Miss, something that would violate NCAA rules.
They did so after being granted limited immunity by the NCAA, which protects them from being declared ineligible for wrongdoing as long as they told the truth.
Ole Miss officials vehemently dispute the claims that have been used as part of a major infractions case against the Rebels’ football program. So does Oxford, Mississippi, clothing store Rebel Rags, which has filed a lawsuit against the players, alleging they gave false statements to the NCAA.
The use of limited immunity is somewhat uncommon in NCAA enforcement cases, but it is an option available to investigators who have no subpoena power to pursue information. They avoid using words such as witness and testimony, which have meanings in a court of law that are not applicable in an NCAA case — just one example of why the use of limited immunity has a host of critics.
“If there were due-process safeguards that were built into the system, I might feel different,” said Donald Jackson, a Birmingham, Alabama, attorney who regularly represents athletes and coaches in NCAA infractions cases. “There are no due-process safeguards built into this system.”
Charles Merkel, an attorney for Rebel Rags, added: “I would characterize it probably as far away from the American justice system as possible.”
TEXAS: Tom Herman’s first game at Texas was a dud, a home loss to Maryland punctuated by a smattering of late boos and debris tossed on the field from the crowd.
His message on Monday was a plea for some patience and a promise that all those breakdowns in a 51-41 defeat can be fixed.
“I get it. They are disappointed. They want the Longhorns to win and do well. So do we,” Herman said Monday. “We are building for the long haul. These nine months of training wasn’t just to beat Maryland. It was to instill and solidify a culture and way of doing things. … Did I think we were ahead of where we showed on Saturday? Yeah, I did.”
Herman knows he’s got plenty of time on his side. Saturday was just one game in a 5-year-guaranteed contract that pays more than $5 million per year.
ALABAMA: No. 1 Alabama has lost two key linebackers to season-ending injuries. Terrell Lewis and Christian Miller were hurt in the season-opening 24-7 win over No. 3 Florida State. Coach Nick Saban said Monday both are set for surgery.
FLORIDA STATE: Quarterback Deondre Francois will have season-ending knee surgery today. Coach Jimbo Fisher said Monday the sophomore faces four to six months of rehabilitation after his operation for his torn patellar tendon in his left knee.
OKLAHOMA: Cornerback Jordan Parker will miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury.
FLORIDA: The Gators are sticking with quarterback Feleipe Franks, coach Jim McElwain said two days after pulling Franks and replacing him with Notre Dame transfer Malik Zaire.
OHIO STATE: Running back Mike Weber will play against Oklahoma, sharing time with dynamic true freshman J.K. Dobbins, coach Urban Meyer said Monday.
Weber rushed for over 1,000 yards as a redshirt freshman last season but was hampered by a hamstring injury in preseason camp. Still not 100 percent last Thursday, he sat out as Dobbins rambled for 181 yards on 29 carries in a 49-21 win over Indiana.
Monday
No. 25 TENNESSEE 42, GEORGIA
TECH 41 (2OT): In Atlanta, Tennessee rallied from a pair of 14-point deficits in the second half and stopped a 2-point conversion in the second overtime, stunning Georgia Tech despite giving up five rushing touchdowns to TaQuon Marshall and getting thoroughly dominated statistically.
John Kelly scored the tying touchdown in regulation on an 11-yard run with 1:29 remaining, and then added two more TD runs in overtime. Marshall finished with 249 yards rushing.