The plot continues to thicken between the NCAA, Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The latest revelation dropped Wednesday night when it was reported that Hail State sophomore linebacker Leo Lewis will be asked to attend the upcoming hearing between Ole Miss and the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions.

The date for the hearing has yet to be set — it will likely be within the next six to eight weeks — and we are still awaiting the public release of the NCAA’s response to Ole Miss’ defense. That information is expected to be released sometime in the next week.

News of Lewis’ participation in the case was first reported by Steven Godfrey of SB Nation. In a letter obtained by Godfrey, Greg Christopher, the chief hearing officer of the committee, confirms that Lewis will be asked to attend the hearing.

The panel will request student-athlete Leo Lewis attend the infractions hearing. Mr. Lewis’ grant of immunity related to this case is predicated on his full cooperation in the infractions process. In addition, Bylaw 19.2.3 establishes a responsibility to cooperate. Part of that duty to cooperate is ‘to make full and complete disclosure of any relevant information, including any information requested by the … relevant committees.’ More specifically, Bylaw 19.7.7.5.1 authorizes the panel to request specific individuals to attend the infractions hearing, including enrolled student athletes.

Mr. Lewis’s participation at the hearing is consistent with the expectation of cooperation on which his grant of immunity was predicated. … Mr. Lewis will receive an appearance letter.

Lewis is a central figure in the case, as he was among the players granted immunity by the NCAA during their investigative process of Hugh Freeze’s Ole Miss program. The NCAA immunity allowed Lewis to go into detail regarding his recruitment by Ole Miss and speak of improper benefits he received without fear of losing his eligibility at Mississippi State. Lewis was once an Ole Miss commit but ended up signing with the Bulldogs over Ole Miss and LSU.

Ole Miss has attempted to poke holes in Lewis’ testimony to the NCAA and cites his inconsistency as a key defense in the school’s response to the NCAA’s second Notice of Allegations. Ole Miss also built its defense around the high character of former coach Hugh Freeze. That defense likely isn’t going to hold much water given recent events, nevertheless, Freeze is expected to join Ole Miss for the hearing.

The Rebels aren’t the only one disputing Lewis’ claims, as Oxford-based Ole Miss retailer Rebel Rags has sued the linebacker, along with Kobe Jones, another Mississippi State player, and Lindsey Miller, the former stepfather of Ole Miss offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil. That case is still ongoing.