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Ole Miss Football: Coach Freeze’s Official Response To The NOA

ByJohn Gillon|
Nov 28, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Hugh Freeze walks through warm ups before the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Hugh Freeze walks through warm ups before the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Ole Miss football coach,Hugh Freeze’s, individual response to the amended NOA was released today. Coach Freeze has publicly been eager to tell his side of the story.

The response for the Ole Miss football coach in its entirety can be found here. Ole Miss football has been charged with 21 violations, of which 15 are Level I.  The most damning charge to the university is the dreaded Lack Of Institutional Control, while Freeze was dealt a Failure To Monitor charge in accordance with NCAA bylaw 11.1.1.1.

Coach Freeze has been labeled things such as a “snake oil salesman” by numerous people over the last 3 to 4 years.  The embattled coach has been convicted in the court of public opinion since the famed 2013 recruiting class.

Ole Miss Rebels Football
Ole Miss Rebels Football

Ole Miss Rebels Football

Freeze has not been accused of being personally involved in any level I or level II violations. That’s right, 4 years of investigations and 21 violations later, he has yet to be charged with committing any level I or level II violations

Coach Freeze was, however, charged with failure to monitor his program. NCAA bylaw 11.1.1.1, aka the Head Coach Responsibility Act,  states a Head Coach will be presumed responsible for all staff members unless he or she can rebut the presumption of responsibility.

What Does This Mean?

Freeze must prove he has taken adequate steps to promote compliance from his staff.  Coach Freeze is adamant that he has taken necessary steps when it comes to promoting compliance with NCAA bylaws. Freeze even sites attempts at promoting compliance within his response.

  1. In his response his lawyers state he has given out over 1,000 pages of handouts directly related to compliance.
  2. Hugh Freeze and his staff have self reportedly 67 violations during his tenure.
  3. Hugh Freeze makes his staff sign compliance contracts.
  4. Coach Freeze has made any coach found  to have committed a violation attend a NCAA rules class.
  5. Coach Freeze always has the university compliance office check the scheduled plans for recruiting weekends.

Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze and the rest of the university will now return to eagerly awaiting the end of this grueling process.

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