Jim Phillips calls for 'repercussions' for tampering amid Clemson allegations against Ole Miss

Nearly four months after Dabo Swinney publicly walked through allegations of tampering against Ole Miss, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said it’s still a hot topic of conversation across college football. As the case goes along, he called for “repercussions” to help settle the space.

During a Jan. 26 press conference, Swinney gave a detailed timeline of alleged tampering by Ole Miss involving Luke Ferrelli, who committed to Clemson out of the transfer portal. Clemson also said it planned to submit the case to the NCAA, which has not yet issued a ruling.

Speaking with reporters Wednesday to wrap up the ACC’s spring meetings in Amelia Island, Fla., Phillips said NCAA president Charlie Baker told the conference that the case will be “dealt with.” In the meantime, though, Phillips said tampering must have consequences and he will be watching the situation closely.

“I mean, everybody’s talking about it across college football and certainly, in our own conference,” Phillips said. “It has to be addressed. Charlie Baker has promised us with his staff … that case, in particular, is going to be dealt with.

“Part of this thing, though, is there has to be repercussions for improper behavior. Until that occurs, I think the tampering piece maybe stays at the level that it’s at right now. We’ll be interested to hear when that case is brought forward and the judgment of the NCAA in that matter.”

During his initial press conference, Swinney detailed alleged Ole Miss staff members and head coach Pete Golding reached out to Ferrelli after he had signed with Clemson. Ferrelli ended up re-entering the transfer portal and committing to the Rebels.

On April 1, Golding responded. He told reporters Ferrelli took an official visit ahead of the Fiesta Bowl, which is when he expressed interest in the former Cal linebacker.

“Obviously, I think there’s two sides to every story,” Golding said. “I’m not going to sit up here and use the podium as a grandstand and all that. That’s why there is enforcement. That’s why we have a compliance office, that they do all that. So, the bottom line, the recruitment of Luke, he came on an official visit prior to the Fiesta Bowl, and I told him, ‘Hey, I want you to be our green-dot Mike, but right now we got a green-dot Mike. And that spot’s not going to be available until we have one available.’

“So, I want you. He wants to be here. I said, ‘But right now there ain’t a spot available. So, if that spot becomes available, it’s yours.’ It’s a kid that wanted to be here, that we wanted to be here, that at the end of it, came open, and he’s here, and we’re happy to have him.”