With all the NCAA news surrounding Miami, Oregon and Penn State, we’d forgotten about Mississippi State’s NCAA case.
MSU has confirmed ESPN’s report that the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions is set to announce the results of an inquiry into major allegations against the program. While the details of the inquiry aren’t specified, the belief is it’s related to reports from last year that a Nashville 7-on-7 coach witnessed MSU defensive back Will Redmond receiving a money handshake from a booster.
Coach Byron De’Vinner told the Head to Head radio show last September he saw Redmond receive “about $200" from booster Robert Denton Herring. Shortly thereafter, Yahoo! Sports released a detailed report, with the help of De’Vinner, of alleged recruiting violations committed by Herring. De’Vinner told Yahoo! he believed that former Bulldogs wide receivers coach Angelo Mirando (pictured) was the only MSU coach that knew about the alleged violations and wanted De’Vinner to “take the fall” for Redmond’s relationship with Herring.
“I don’t think there were no other coaches in the know, but Denton was dealing with a lot of players over there,” De’Vinner told Yahoo!. “Will was the one caught up, but he was dealing with a lot of players.”
Mirando resigned for “personal issues” last August, but a report from ESPN’s Joe Schad stated the resignation occurred ”in the wake of an ongoing NCAA investigation into his recruitment of at least one Bulldogs player.” By that point, the NCAA was said to be investigating MSU over possible “recruiting irregularity” involving Redmond. MSU had also reportedly disassociated itself from a booster for engaging “in impermissible contact with the prospective student-athlete.”
MSU would only say it was cooperating with the NCAA.
Redmond was a freshman for the Bulldogs in 2012, but did not play.