Hugh Freeze's future in serious doubt? One reporter strongly suggests the answer is yes
If you didn’t take the time to read Ole Miss’ 125-page response to the NCAA’s latest Notice of Allegations, a common theme found in the paper is a defense of head coach Hugh Freeze and his highly successful football program. While the school does admit some violations have occurred, thus the one-year self-imposed bowl ban for 2017 and the reduction of 11 scholarships spread out over a four-year period, the response credits former assistant coach Barney Farrar for the majority of the serious infractions and attempts to discredit key witnesses in the investigation.
We should find out in September just how effective the arguments and evidence presented from both sides of the investigation are when Ole Miss meets with the Committee on Infractions and a ruling is made soon after.
At least one reporter that has been following the NCAA’s case against Ole Miss from its early stages believes the school is going about its defense in an odd way. According to USA TODAY’s Dan Wolken, who was a recent guest on radio show Out of Bounds with Bo Bounds on ESPN the Zone 105.9, Ole Miss is taking a ‘risky’ strategy to protect a head coach with a career losing record in SEC play.
“I think it’s a very risky and I might even say reckless strategy to go into the Committee on Infractions, given the history of how all this stuff works,” Wolken said on the air. “The thing that came to my mind reading (Ole Miss’ response) is why are they doing this for Hugh Freeze? I understand if it’s Nick Saban, it’s Urban Meyer, John Calipari, somebody like that, someone you’ve rallied around, someone you can’t be the same program without those guys. But Hugh Freeze? Really?”
Thursday, Wolken was a guest on Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly and gave his rather grave outlook on Freeze’s future in Oxford.
Wolken: Either the penalties against Hugh Freeze are so severe they fire him, or the school gets hit so hard he can’t win & gets fired.
— Bo Mattingly (@SportsTalkwBo) June 8, 2017
To no surprise, Wolken has found himself an easy target for many Ole Miss fans upset with his statements regarding Freeze and the football program. While many are claiming Wolken has it out for Freeze, the USA TODAY writer clearly takes issue with that logic, stating the statistics provided by the NCAA’s enforcement staff back up his recent statements regarding the case.
The point I’ve tried to impart re: Ole Miss is COI has “found” or agreed with enforcement on 95% of allegations they’ve brought in last year
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) June 8, 2017
That isn’t a talking point. That’s a statistic the enforcement staff uses as a measurement of how well they’re doing their job.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) June 8, 2017
Moreover, the COI has agreed with the enforcement staff on the violation level about 85% of the time.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) June 8, 2017
Those numbers came from an interview in January with the NCAA’s enforcement director. And I think they’re relevant.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) June 8, 2017
Thankfully, for everyone involved, this case looks to be nearing its final chapter in the coming months. Until then, expect plenty of back and forth between the supporters and detractors of Freeze and the Ole Miss football program.