University of Mississippi eGrove Daily Mississippian 2-13-2019 February 13, 2019 The Daily Mississippian Follow this and additional works at: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/thedmonline Recommended Citation The Daily Mississippian, "February 13, 2019" (2019). Daily Mississippian. 134. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/thedmonline/134 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by eGrove. It has been accepted for inclusion in Daily Mississippian by an authorized administrator of eGrove. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE DAILY WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2019 | VOLUME 107, NO. 68 MISSISSIPPIAN THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI | SERVING OLE MISS AND OXFORD SINCE 1911 33 WINS, BY DAMN. JUSTIN DIAL [email protected] he final punch in the NCAA’s nearly six- Freeze’s coaching record at Ole Miss prior to year long case against Ole Miss has landed, Monday’s announcement was a respectable 39- effectively ending the Ole Miss-NCAA saga. 25 (19-21). Now, after having 27 wins vacated, his On Monday evening, Ole Miss athletics record has dropped to 12-25 (6-21). Despite this, Tdirector Ross Bjork released a letter dated Dec. 7, the 2015 season that ended with a 10-3 record and a 2018, that highlights which games from the 2010-16 Sugar Bowl victory over Oklahoma State remains in- seasons will be vacated from the school’s record books. tact due to Laremy Tunsil sitting out the first seven “We’re still frustrated with the final outcome,” games before being ruled eligible that season. Bjork said on the Oxford Exxon podcast Tuesday. Bjork spoke at a town hall meeting in Cleveland, “I think it just gives people clarity and the ability, Mississippi, on Monday evening, the first of seven frankly, to just move on to a new day.” such town halls scheduled around the state for the The university, in conjunction with the NCAA month of February. Meetings are set for Jackson, media coordination and statistics staff and the Oxford, Tupelo, Gulfport and Memphis with the goal Southeastern Conference, collaborated to decide of increasing the athletics department’s transparen- which games should be vacated due to participation cy with the fan base. by ineligible players. “The Sugar Bowl trophy is, and will remain, in The letter showed that 33 wins over a seven-year the Manning Center,” Bjork said during the town period will be vacated. Former head coaches Hous- hall meeting. ton Nutt and Hugh Freeze both coached Ole Miss Other notable games that had to be vacated in- during those six years, although the majority of clude the win over Alabama in 2014, Egg Bowl wins vacated wins came with Freeze at the helm. over Mississippi State in 2012 and 2014 and a win SEE NCAA PAGE 3 PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: THE DAILY MISSISIPPIAN STAFF PAGE 2 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 13 FEBRUARY 2019 OPINION COLUMN THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN EDITORIAL STAFF: Final NCAA sanctions signal shift for Ole Miss SLADE RAND JOSHUA CLAYTON editor-in-chief [email protected] [email protected] The NCAA investigation has DEVNA BOSE finally come to an end with 33 managing editor Ole Miss wins erased from the [email protected] record books. The saga that spanned over five years and MEGAN SWARTZFAGER included gas masks, escorts copy chief and postseason bans is over, [email protected] and Ole Miss Athletics can TAYLOR VANCE start fresh. news editor The vacated wins from 2010- HADLEY HITSON 13, 2014 and 2016 include the GRIFFIN NEAL 2012 Egg Bowl win, the 2013 assistant news editors win over LSU and the Alabama [email protected] win in 2014, which was the Rebels’ first win over Alabama JUSTIN DIAL sports editor since 2003. The wins were vacated because of participation JOSH CLAYTON assistant sports editor by ineligible players. While it’s obviously not [email protected] desirable, this news has been CHRISTIAN JOHNSON more relieving than negative for photography editor Rebel fans, judging by the mood KATHERINE BUTLER on campus and on Twitter. assistant photography editor The overall reaction has been [email protected] positive from fans and students, LIAM NIEMAN who are simply happy the whole arts & culture editor situation is over. Indifference ELIZA NOE isn’t the word, but the NCAA assistant arts & culture editor stating that those wins didn’t [email protected] happen was the least of the Ole Miss faithfuls’ issues. HAYDEN BENGE The final sanction from the MACKENZIE LINNEEN NCAA came as no surprise to MEAGAN TAPE a fan base that has had a bone design editors to pick with the powers that [email protected] be since 2012. It has been well ETHEL MWEDZIWENDIRA documented how the investiga- opinion and design editor tion has gone awry at the hands [email protected] of the NCAA, who granted immunity to student athletes SARAH HENDERSON FILE PHOTO: BILLY SCHUERMAN who revealed information about multimedia editor Ross Bjork explains his grievances with the NCAA and COI rulings in 2017. infractions committed by Ole Miss Athletics, ensuring a pen- ANNIE SHARP Ole Miss Athletics can operate success in the future. Ole Miss starting out with high expecta- alty for Ole Miss. The NCAA’s online editor like a normal program. finished with the No. 22 class tions coming off an SEC Tour- [email protected] ongoing incompetence is fur- At the end of the 2018 in the country, still far from nament win. If you had any ther evidenced by the situation IVANA NGUYEN season, Matt Luke started the the groundbreaking class of doubt about the anticipation at Missouri last week. social media editor offseason with a clean slate. 2013 but a positive sign moving building for that team, you can [email protected] The NCAA stated that Since then, the coach who was forward. ask the students who showed Missouri showed “exemplary initially thought to do no more Bjork and company will ap- up to the stadium at 4:30 a.m. cooperation” but proceeded to ADVERTISING than carry Ole Miss through pear at seven town hall meet- to camp out and wait for the hammer the university with SALES MANAGER the murky waters has hit all the ings across the state as part of gates to open at 2:30 p.m. on postseason bans in softball, Rebecca Brown right notes for the program. a pledge for more transparency Tuesday for people to claim baseball and football as well as [email protected] Luke had an uncertain early to the fanbase. The first at the their spots in right field. multiple recruiting restrictions. signing period with a defensive Grammy Museum in Cleveland Between the success on SALES ACCOUNT The sanctions given to Missouri coordinator being relieved of on Monday saw the athletic National Signing Day, the EXECUTIVES challenge universities under his duties and an offensive director taking questions from resurrection of the basketball Cameron Collins investigation to find that sweet coordinator leaving for another whoever came forward. Bjork program and the growing Sam Dethrow spot between cooperation and job. Recruiting players while will do the same in Jackson, hype surrounding this year’s Isaiah Pugh obstruction. trying to fill the coaching staff Oxford, Tupelo, Gulfport and baseball squad, there is an Michael Rackers From what we’ve seen in the with high-profile candidates Memphis during the month of underlying buzz around Ole Morgan Stone past, it’s hard to argue that the was a tall task, but Luke man- February. Miss. Bjork and Ole Miss want correct plan of action when the S. GALE DENLEY aged it well. Football isn’t the only sport the announcement of the final NCAA knocks on the door is to STUDENT MEDIA CENTER Ole Miss hired two success- on campus trending upwards. sanctions to mark a shift. While turn off the lights and act like ful former head coaches in Basketball is overperforming. fans shouldn’t expect a quick PATRICIA THOMPSON no one’s home. Assistant Dean/Student Media Rich Rodriguez for the offense Picked to finish last in the SEC turnaround with a ten-win The good thing for Ole Miss and Mike MacIntyre for the before the season, the Kermit season and Sugar Bowl win in GREG BROCK and Ross Bjork, however, is that defense. The two hires helped Davis Rebels are in a position 2019, there is legitimate reason Daily Mississippian Editorial it no longer matters what they Adviser finish off a 2019 recruiting class to play into the NCAA Tour- for excitement about the revival did or should have done. All of that will lay a foundation for nament. The baseball team is of Ole Miss Athletics. that is now officially in the past. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA The Daily Mississippian is published Mondays, Wednesdays, THE DAILY Thursdays and Fridays in print during the academic year, on THE DM NEWS TWITTER MISSISSIPPIAN days when classes are scheduled. New content is published @thedm_news online seven days a week. S. 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