I've said it before: Every program cheats, Oklahoma isn't clean in its history and you're naive if you think OU isn't playing the game now,.The above image explains things better than I could, I bookmarked that link when I first came across it because it seriously makes sense.
The huge dropoff between the top prospects in Ole Miss 2013 class vs the rest of their class is just so blatant. The "drop off" prospects in the class is what Ole Miss historically recruits at, in the decade leading up to Freeze's hire Ole Miss averaged the #27th class in the nation, That's historically Ole Miss - A Top 25ish program. Freeze's classes however averaged about 11th until this year, with the NCAA looming Ole Miss reverted to around it's historical mean with the #30 class in the nation.
Ole Miss failed to make a bowl in the '16 season, self banned for '17. I would expect that based on precedent once the appeals work through Ole Miss will get an additional year postseason ban from the NCAA. Ole Miss already self sanctioned scholarship reductions, I would expect some added penalties there as well.
This isn't a moral judgement thing, hell I don't care if you're paying for croots. Just don't be a dumbass about it. Effort people. Don't let your bagmen recruit like they're achievement hunting in a video game.
Edit: Epilogue : Five months later 7/20/2017
Ole Miss did a lot trying to defend Hugh Freeze and the program. They messed up trying to frame the narrative that the NCAA investigation mostly stemmed from former HC Houston Nutt., Houston Nutt sued the university for defamation and breach of contract (settlement when he was fired said the University couldn't speak ill of him). Nutts attorneys went scorched Earth with FOIA requests and "uncovered" that Huge Freeze either really likes Escorts or was providing Escots to players - because he apparently calls them a lot and it was a pattern of phone calls.
I tend to think the Escorts werent actually Freeze's vice -even if it was Ole Miss Compliance uncovered it long ago and the University could have fired him with cause,saved themselves some hassle, and score NCAA brownie points. Ole Miss compliance office had to be aware of those numbers. point blank.That is the job.
So now Hugh Freeze is out - Ole Miss is saying Freeze has a thing for hookers and they deny any escorts had to do with NCAA investigations/allegations and that firing Freeze was strictly a morals clause issue. That doesnt add up at all. I don't blame Ole Miss for trying. Freeze resigned instead of being fired with cause he'll receive no buyout/settlement money but if he hopes to coach again in any fashion I believe he'll lawyer up himself and this will get even nastier soon.
Ole Miss finds themselves now with about two weeks before training camp turning to their offensive line coach to be the interim They'll be looking at hiring a coach in December under looming NCAA sanctions and probably lawsuits from both Nutt and Freeze. That is sub-optimal
