CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney says he still hasn’t heard anything back from the NCAA regarding tampering allegations he made against Ole Miss coach Pete Golding in January surrounding linebacker Luke Ferrelli.
Ferrelli, who played at California last season, initially entered the transfer portal on Jan. 2 and committed to Clemson four days later. Ferrelli enrolled, began classes and attended meetings and workouts, according to Swinney.
Swinney alleged during a lengthy news conference in January that Golding maintained contact with Ferrelli after the linebacker had enrolled at Clemson, even texting, “I know you’re signed, but what is your buyout?” Ferrelli reentered the portal on Jan. 22 and committed to Ole Miss.
“No, I haven’t heard anything,” Swinney said with a snicker during a news conference Tuesday, five days before the team’s season opener at No. 11 LSU. “It was true. He was in school here for a week. That did happen. I didn’t make that up.”
When asked his feelings about it now, Swinney said. “No, I’m not frustrated. I’m just trying to win a game this weekend. That’s it. I’ll let everyone else worry about that stuff.”
Swinney said on Jan. 23 that he turned in evidence to the NCAA about what he viewed as a clear case of tampering. At the time, NCAA vice president of enforcement Jon Duncan said it “will investigate any credible allegations of tampering and expect full cooperation from all involved as required by NCAA rules.”
In April, Golding addressed the issue for the first time saying there are “two sides to every story.”
Golding said LSU had contacted Ferrelli when he was first in the transfer portal but at the time didn’t have an opening at his position. He said the position came available when TJ Dottery left Ole Miss to follow coach Lane Kiffin to LSU.
“I said, ‘But right now there ain’t a spot available. So, if that spot becomes available, it’s yours,’” Golding said of Ferrelli in April. “It’s a kid that wanted to be here, that we wanted to be here, that at the end of it, came open, and he’s here, and we’re happy to have him.”
Swinney recently pushed for change and accountability at Atlantic Coast Conference football media days for what he called “rampant” tampering in college football.
“We’re probably gonna need some congressional help for that,” Swinney said on July 17 in Charlotte. “There has to be some type of order put in place. The tampering is a problem. So there needs to be consequences or you just say to heck with it, don’t worry about it, and let’s just call it like it is — the wild, wild West.”
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Steve Reed, The Associated Press
