US EditionClemson's Dabo Swinney Alleges Tampering by Ole Miss' Pete Golding and Calls for Reforms
Clemson alleges Ole Miss offered $1 million and made repeated contacts to lure linebacker Luke Ferrelli after he enrolled, prompting an NCAA complaint and potential legal action.
- On Friday, Jan. 16, Clemson University submitted a complaint to the NCAA alleging Ole Miss football tampered by contacting linebacker Luke Ferrelli, naming coach Pete Golding and GM Austin Thomas.
- Swinney and Clemson officials describe a sequence that began on Jan. 14 when Ferrelli's agent Ryan Williams alerted Clemson, leading to a Jan. 15 reversal, Jan. 16 portal reentry, and Jan. 22 transfer flip.
- Clemson detailed texts sent during an 8 a.m. class, a photo of a $1 million contract offer, phone calls from Trinidad Chambliss and Jaxson Dart, and said Ryan Williams withheld message copies unless paid.
- The school warned it may pursue further legal action while awaiting enforcement, and Graham Neff said Clemson will consider additional steps if the NCAA does not resolve the Jan. 16 complaint; Ole Miss could face sanctions including fines, suspensions, or a postseason ban.
- Beyond the dispute, Swinney argued the transfer system is 'broken' and said 'this is a whole other level of tampering,' emphasizing the need for reforms.
30 Articles
30 Articles
Marin Independent Journal
Clemson’s Dabo Swinney rips Mississippi for ‘blatant’ tampering with Cal transfer Ferrelli
By Chapel Fowler, The State CLEMSON, S.C. — Last Wednesday, Clemson transfer linebacker Luke Ferrelli was sitting in an 8 a.m. class when his phone buzzed. It was Mississippi coach Pete Golding. “I know you’re signed,” Golding allegedly texted the former Cal linebacker on Jan. 14. “What’s the buyout?” Ferrelli had committed to the Tigers the week before, signed a financial aid agreement and verbally agreed to a revenue-sharing deal. He had a sch…
$46.2M Big 10 Coach Takes Sides After Dabo Swinney Accuses Ole Miss of Tampering
The entire Luke Ferrelli chaos highlights an uncomfortable truth about today’s college football environment. With tensions spiking, Dabo Swinney had no choice but to face the media and point fingers at Pete Golding. “I am not going to let someone flat-out tamper with my program,” Swinney said on January 23. Clemson is already coming off a bad 2025 season, and losing a key linebacker like Ferrelli hurts even more when the player had reportedly do…
Dabo Swinney accusses Ole Miss’ Pete Golding of ‘blatant’ tampering
Clemson football coach Dabo Sweeney denounced Ole Miss coach Pete Golding for allegedly direct tampering with a Tigers player, calling for changes to the current system of college football transfers which he said is "a really sad state of affairs."Swinney's comments came during an hour-long press conference Friday in which he discussed a complaint Clemson filed with the NCAA alleging Golding committed "blatant" and "straightforward" tampering. I…
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