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Mississippi's Freeze says no knowledge of coaches paying players

 
Mississippi coach Hugh Freeze denied former Rebels offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil’s claims that he was paid while in school.
Mississippi coach Hugh Freeze denied former Rebels offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil’s claims that he was paid while in school.
Published June 1, 2016

DESTIN — Mississippi football coach Hugh Freeze said Tuesday he accepts responsibility for the ongoing NCAA investigation of his program but said he has no knowledge of his coaches paying players.

"I stand here today owning the mistakes," Freeze said in some of his first public comments about the scandal, "but that is what they are — not some staff out trying to buy players."

The NCAA's notice of allegation released last month included nine violations that took place under Freeze's watch; Ole Miss' self-imposed punishments include a loss of 11 scholarships.

Perhaps the most serious problem surfaced at the NFL draft when Dolphins OT Laremy Tunsil said he accepted money from the coaching staff during his time with the Rebels. Freeze said he could not comment on that claim because of the ongoing investigation but said the charge "certainly didn't help the narrative" surrounding Ole Miss.

"I don't believe and have zero knowledge that any of our coaches have ever paid a player," Freeze said from the SEC meetings. "And if I get that knowledge, there will be problems."

CALLAWAY UPDATE: Florida WR Antonio Callaway is not enrolled in summer classes as he continues to serve an indefinite suspension during the school's code of conduct investigation.

Gators coach Jim McElwain did not provide any other update or details about Callaway or Treon Harris, who haven't been with the program since January. Callaway is suspended while UF investigates whether he violated an unspecified part of the school's conduct code, according to his attorney, Huntley Johnson.

"That's being handled," McElwain said.

Callaway scored six touchdowns and had 678 receiving yards last season as a true freshman.

INJURY UPDATES: Gators OL Martez Ivey (shoulder) and LB Alex Anzalone (shoulder) have been cleared for contact and will be eased back during fall camp, McElwain said. WR Brandon Powell (foot) has also been cleared to play and will wear a special set of shoes for protection.

South Carolina LB Skai Moore — the team's leading tackler each of the last three years — will redshirt this season as he recovers from neck surgery.

HOOPS SCHEDULE: UF's men's basketball schedule is still in flux until the O'Connell Center's $64.5 million renovation project is complete. Tampa, Jacksonville, Sunrise and Orlando are candidates to host non-conference games before the arena is ready in January.

"Those are all being considered," coach Mike White said.

SABAN ON SATELLITE CAMPS: Alabama football coach Nick Saban said he didn't want to talk about satellite camps but ended up ranting on their unintended consequences, including third parties that can charge for camps with no oversight of the money. "This is the only sport where … what they did at the high school mattered," Saban said. "All you're doing is allowing all these other people that we spend all of our time at the NCAA saying, you can't recruit through a third party. You can't be involved with third-party people, and that's exactly what you're doing, creating all these third parties that are going to get involved with the prospects and all that."