OLE MISS

Timeline: NCAA and Ole Miss

The Clarion-Ledger

A timeline of events that led to Friday's Notice of Allegations announcement released by Ole Miss:

Oct. 20, 2012

Ole Miss places new women’s basketball coach Adrian Wiggins on administrative leave, fires two staff members and declares two players ineligible amid an investigation into improper recruiting and academic misconduct. Wiggins is later fired.

June 22, 2015

Brian O’Neal resigns at the end of his third season as head track and field coach. It is later revealed that there were recruiting violations during his tenure.

June 25, 2015

Ole Miss offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil, a projected top five NFL draft pick, is arrested on charges of domestic violence after he allegedly assaulted his stepfather, Lindsey Miller. Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze, in a released statement, said Tunsil was acting in defense of his mother, Desiree Tunsil.

June 30, 2015

A police report of the domestic violence incident is made public. In the report, Miller told Lafayette County Sheriff's Department deputies that he and Tunsil's mother were arguing about Tunsil "riding around with football agents." According to the police report, when a deputy arrived at the scene of the domestic dispute, Miller was "very excited" and told Howell that "Tunsil and the agents" left in a yellow convertible.

July 2, 2015

NCAA officials interview Miller about allegations of multiple rules violations by the Ole Miss football program. Miller says he met with NCAA director of enforcement for football Chris Howard for what he estimated was three hours.

July 6, 2015

Ole Miss issues a statement saying that it has offered its "full cooperation" to the NCAA and has launched its own investigation into allegations made by Miller of multiple potential rules violations.

July 16, 2015

At SEC Media Days, Freeze says he is confident that his program always does the right thing.

Aug. 3, 2015

Both Laremy Tunsil and Miller agree to drop domestic violence charges against each other and sign dismissal forms.

Sept. 5, 2015

Ole Miss announces it is holding Tunsil out of the season opener against UT-Martin. In a news release, Ole Miss says Tunsil is being held out as a precautionary measure while “the pending process can be completed.” Tunsil would eventually be held out of the first seven games of the season.

Oct. 12, 2015

Ole Miss announces the NCAA found that Tunsil used three loaner vehicles over a six-month period without payment, among other impermissible benefits. In September, ESPN’s Chris Low reports a point of emphasis in the NCAA’s investigation of Tunsil involved a loaner vehicle Tunsil received from Cannon Motors while his vehicle was being repaired.

Oct. 13, 2015

NCAA investigation of Louisiana-Lafayette reveals that former Ole Miss coach David Saunders may have committed violations while at Ole Miss. Saunders helped five recruits receive fraudulent ACT scores at Wayne County High, lied to the NCAA about his involvement and failed to cooperate with an investigation. He also gave a total of $6,500 to a player over two semesters while at ULL, the committee said.

Oct. 24, 2015

Tunsil returns to the Ole Miss lineup and plays against Texas A&M. The Rebels win, 23-3, at Oxford.

Jan. 1, 2016

Ole Miss defeats Oklahoma State, 48-20, in a Sugar Bowl that featured a touchdown run by Tunsil.

Jan. 12, 2016

Saunders and Louisiana-Lafayette are hit with multiple penalties following an investigation into Saunders’ time at the school. The NCAA Committee on Infractions says Saunders helped five recruits receive fraudulent ACT scores at Wayne County High, lied to the NCAA about his involvement and failed to cooperate with an investigation. He also gave a total of $6,500 to a player over two semesters while at ULL.

Jan. 30, 2016

Ole Miss legal counsel receives a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA, according to athletic director Ross Bjork. The notice includes allegations of an unspecified number of rule violations regarding the football program, many of which date “back to the former football staff in 2010 and the withholding and reinstatement process around Laremy Tunsil in fall of 2015,” Bjork said.

Feb. 2, 2016

Ole Miss lands one of its best recruiting classes in school history and is among the top 10 in the nation.

Feb. 10, 2016

Bjork says the NCAA has completed its three-plus year investigation into the school's athletic program. He also says the school has not received (and doesn't expect to receive) a rumored "second letter" concerning more NCAA violations, has not been charged with lack of institutional control and that Freeze was not named by the NCAA in any wrongdoing.

Feb. 12, 2016

Former Ole Miss assistant coach Chris Vaughn loses his coaching position at Texas because of alleged rule violations that occurred while he was at Ole Miss. The Austin American-Statesman reported that it is “believed NCAA investigators have a ‘thick file’ on Vaughn from his time as an Ole Miss assistant.”

April 21, 2016

Ole Miss seeks and receives a delay from the NCAA for its response to the Notice of Allegations.

April 27, 2016

Miller’s attorney announces his client is suing his stepson, one day before Tunsil is expected to go within the top 5 picks of the NFL draft.

April 28, 2016

On the night of the opening round of the NFL draft, a video is made public of a younger Tunsil smoking a bong fashioned out of a gas mask. Tunsil’s draft stock appears to plummet as a result. He eventually is picked by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 13 overall pick. Moments after being selected, alleged text messages of Tunsil asking for money from an Ole Miss administrator are made public. When he is asked about the texts in a news conference, Tunsil admits he received money from coaches at Ole Miss.

April 29, 2016

Through his attorney, Miller says he had nothing to do with the video or the texts.

May 12, 2016

Freeze asks for restrictions on the deposition he will give in Miller’s civil lawsuit. A few days later, assistant coach Matt Luke asks for similar restrictions.

May 27, 2016

Ole Miss releases the notice of allegations and its response, but the school says isn’t ready to move forward with the case after recent news involving Tunsil. Text messages released on April 28 regarding alleged payments between Tunsil, a former offensive tackle, and assistant athletic director John Miller were new to the athletic department. Ole Miss requests the committee on infractions hearing be moved off the summer docket.

Oct. 7, 2016

The NCAA officially separates the cases involving the women's basketball and track and field programs, and the football team. It released its findings for the first two, which charges the programs with academic fraud and recruiting violations. Severe show-causes are given to several individuals, but the NCAA accepts Ole Miss' self-punishment.