Could Ole Miss, Pete Golding be punished for tampering with Luke Ferrelli? Here are the rules
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Ole Miss football and coach Pete Golding were accused of tampering by Clemson coach Dabo Swinney on Jan. 23.
The allegation surrounds linebacker Luke Ferrelli, a transfer who enrolled at Clemson and began practicing, according to Swinney, before flipping to the Rebels.
Swinney gave a detailed timeline at a news conference that Clemson believes shows Ole Miss was tampering. Swinney said Golding texted Ferrelli during an 8 a.m. class saying, “I know you’re signed. What’s the buyout?” and a picture of a $1 million contract.
So, did Golding and Ole Miss commit a tampering violation? Here’s what to know about the rule.
What is tampering?
Tampering in college athletics is when teams contact players who are on other teams. That is against the rules.
In many cases, teams will do that to try to get players into the transfer portal. However, accusations are rarely publicized.
Is tampering allowed?
No, teams are not allowed to tamper with athletes, according to NCAA bylaw 13.1.1.4.
Here’s what the full rule says:
“An athletics staff member or other representative of the institution’s athletics interests shall not communicate or make contact with the student-athlete of another NCAA Division I institution, or any individual associated with the student-athlete (e.g., family member, scholastic or nonscholastic coach, advisor), directly or indirectly, without first obtaining authorization through the notification of transfer process. Before making contact, directly or indirectly, with a student-athlete of an NCAA Division II or Division III institution, or an NAIA four-year collegiate institution, an athletics staff member or other representative of the institution’s athletics interests shall comply with the rule of the applicable division or the NAIA rule for making contact with a student-athlete.”
What is the punishment for tampering in college football?
According to the NCAA manual, Ole Miss could receive a Level II violation if it contacted Ferrelli after he was enrolled at Clemson. The punishment could worsen if Ole Miss gave Ferrelli money to lure him to the Rebels.
One circumstance for a Level I violation, according to the manual, is “Cash payment or other benefits provided by a coach, administrator or representative of the institution’s athletics interests intended to secure, or which resulted in, enrollment of a prospective student-athlete.”
The Rebels could also get a Level I violation from “third-party involvement in recruiting violations in which institutional staff members knew or should have known about theinvolvement.”
A Level I violation is the NCAA’s most serious misconduct threshold.
Penalties for a Level I and Level II violations can include fines, suspensions, show-cause orders, postseason bans, scholarship reductions, recruiting restrictions and probation.
Who is Luke Ferrelli?
Ferrelli was the ACC defensive rookie of the year for 2025. He logged 91 tackles, including five for loss and one sack, an interception and one pass breakup in 13 games in 2025 for Cal. He led all freshmen in tackles (87) and finished second among all ACC freshmen in tackles for loss (five).
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Luke Ferrelli Ole Miss tampering allegations: Here are NCAA rules
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