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TAMPA, FL — Ole Miss football coach Pete Golding said he was straying from the script.
When speaking on July 22 at SEC Media Days, Golding was asked about tampering. It's been a hot-button issue for the Rebels since Clemson coach Dabo Swinney accused Ole Miss of tampering in its successful recruitment of transfer linebacker Luke Ferrelli.
Golding answered the question with a question.
"Would you quit your job before being interviewed, or offered another job?" Golding said to a reporter. "But we have a portal where you can go into with a do-not-contact (tag)? ... what have we created?"
His point was that the college football transfer portal system encourages reaching out to players on other teams. His example was to illustrate that it doesn't make sense for a talented player to leave where they are getting paid without having preliminary discussions with their future school.
"By design it's put a lot of people in bad positions," Golding said. "Let's not act like recruiting in college football is the most moral thing that has existed. What are we talking about? I'm really not going to get into my feelings. I don't think that's how I've been educated to answer this question."
Swinney alleged that Golding send Ferrelli, who transferred from Cal to Clemson, a picture of a contract. Ferrelli wound up flipping on Clemson and committing to Ole Miss.
The NCAA is investigating the claims. Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said the NCAA’s investigation is ongoing.
"No (news), our compliance is handling all that," Golding said July 10. "Everything has been turned in, so we're just focused on our team."
Recent punishments doled out for tampering include probation and fines.
"The model obviously has been broken," Golding said. "I'm all for everybody being on the same playing field and doing the same things. I get it.
"But that's in any job. Like coaches, we're under contract. You don't think other ADs are calling us during the year? Same ones that are bitching about all this stuff are the same ones calling coaches to come to other schools, so it's everywhere in every profession. I am not saying I have all the answers.
"We go by the rules of the program and the flow. Like when you're on the interstate and people are flying by you, what do you start doing? Damn right. Or you're going to get hit.
"I don't get into feelings, to be honest with you. We've got compliance department. They get paid to do their job. They do a really good job. It's our responsibility to recruit really good players and coach them extremely hard."
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at [email protected] or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Why Ole Miss football coach Pete Golding said tampering is rewarded in transfer portal
