Speculation regarding “tutorgate” has been out buzzing around Starkville for weeks and now we have a resolution to the rumors.

The allegations of a tutor doing work for Mississippi State student-athletes has been confirmed by the NCAA and the school, it was announced on Friday. According to the NCAA, 10 football players and one basketball player had work done for them by this tutor.

A source has told Saturday Down South the issue of a tutor doing work for Mississippi State student-athletes first arose after the tutor submitted work for the players at the same time while they were competing on the field of play.

Following an investigation, the NCAA has put Mississippi State on three years of probation and docked the program a total of four scholarships over a two-year span (two football scholarships during each of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years). The tutor has also received a show cause.

Here is a complete list of the penalties the NCAA will enforce following its investigation:

  • A fine of $5,000, plus 1% each of the football and men’s basketball budgets.
  • A reduction of two football scholarships during each of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years.
  • A reduction of one men’s basketball scholarship during the 2020-21 academic year.
  • A reduction of four football official visits from the program’s four-year average of 40 visits during the 2019-20 academic year.
  • A reduction of two men’s basketball official visits from the program’s four-year average of 10 visits during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 rolling two-year period.
  • A prohibition of football unofficial visits during one home contest for the 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years.
  • A prohibition of men’s basketball unofficial visits during two home contests for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic years.
  • A reduction of football evaluation days by two in the fall 2019 and 10 in spring 2020.
  • A reduction of men’s basketball recruiting-person days by six in the spring of 2020.
  • Three years of probation.
  • A vacation of records in which student-athletes competed while ineligible. The university must provide a written report containing the contests impacted to the NCAA media coordination and statistics staff within 45 days of the public decision release.
  • A disassociation of the former tutor.
  • All involved student-athletes must conduct one rules education session on the consequences of academic misconduct.
  • Participation in the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals program review and Academic Integrity Assessment process.
  • A 10-year show-cause order for the former tutor. During that period, any NCAA member school employing her must restrict her from any athletically related duties unless it shows cause why the restrictions should not apply.