The University of Mississippi has reportedly received a notice of allegations letter from the NCAA offices detailing about 30 alleged violations of NCAA rules across multiple sports programs, including football. The extent of those violations is not known at this time, nor is the number of the violations aimed specifically at the football program. Pat Forde of Yahoo! Sports was first to report news of the notice of allegations being sent to Ole Miss.
According to the report from Forde, the “roughly 30 violations” span the football, women’s basketball and track and field programs. The NCAA opened an investigation into Ole Miss in October 2014. At the time the investigation was opened, Hugh Freeze and the current staff in place was not believed to be the subject of the investigation as it related to the football program. The investigation, instead, was focused on a previous staff, although names targeted were not confirmed. Those details may not become available until Ole Miss releases the information from their end in the future.
Freeze was hired by Ole Miss in December of 2011 to replace Houston Nutt, who had been the head coach of the Rebels for four seasons. Nutt was hired to replace Ed Orgeron at the end of the 2007 season.
The NCAA opened up a second investigation last season following the news regarding Laremy Tunsil and his connection to a sports agent. That investigation was a separate incident and is not connected to this ongoing investigation, as far as anyone knows at this stage.
So what happens next? Ole Miss will now have 90 days from the date of receiving the notice of allegations to respond to the NCAA. That gives Ole Miss time to review the allegations and gather documents or evidence needed to fight any part of the allegations they believe to not be violations. Ole Miss can also sign off on the allegations and accept blame for the violations as they see fit. The NCAA and Ole Miss can bring a close to this investigation by summary disposition. Otherwise, the two sides will meet at a Committee on Infractions hearing at a later date (to be determined).
Because the NCAA process can drag on, it is not inconceivable to think this could linger into the next football season, although this should be cleared up at some point, for better or for worse, over the summer before the 2016 football season kicks off. Ole Miss will open the new season in Orlando against Florida State on Labor Day night.