Rebels

Chancellor Jeff Vitter said the school would likely release the full notice and its response in late May. The university released its response to the notice of allegations on May 27 last year.

Bjork said: “We will release the notice and our response once all involved parties and their counsel have had a full and fair opportunity to review its contents, conduct any additional work and provide their responses.”

The NCAA enforcement staff will have 60 days to write a case summary, which would be followed with a hearing before the Committee on Infractions.

It was Vitter and Bjork who ultimately made the decision to self-impose a one-year postseason ban for the 2017 season. Under Southeastern Conference rules, Ole Miss must forfeit its annual portion of the SEC postseason football revenue for next year, which is $7.8 million, Bjork said.

Vitter, Bjork and Freeze met with the team and staff Wednesday to inform them of their decision.

“I feel terrible for our players and staff who have to handle the consequences of a very few,” Freeze said. “Unfortunately, these penalties are necessary so that this program to be responsible and to move forward.”

Freeze also said he agreed with the decision to selfimpose a bowl ban. Ole Miss reached a bowl game in the first four seasons under Freeze’s leadership.

It missed the postseason last year after it finished 5-7.

In October, the NCAA handed down its penalties to Ole Miss’ women’s basketball and track and field programs. In announcing those penalties, the NCAA announced it had separted those cases from the investigation into the university’s football program.

Even though penalties hadn’t been handed down at the time, Freeze said the uncertainty of the investigation caused Ole Miss to suffer penalties during the recruiting cycle.

“There’s a lot of issues around college football right now and we certainly are having our share. It’s gone on for a long time. We’ve suffered penalties,” Freeze said. “This recruiting class it was a penalty to be under the cloud that we’re under.”

And the penalties likely aren’t going to stop there.