Six former Ole Miss players who transferred to other schools after the Rebels were hit with additional NCAA penalties plan to build their appeals for immediately eligibility around text messages they say were sent to recruits to downplay the severity of the NCAA investigation into the program.
According to screenshots of text messages exchanged by recruits who signed with the Rebels in 2016, the players were allegedly told that the NCAA violations involving the Ole Miss football program occurred before Hugh Freeze was hired as head coach in 2012.
"The grounds for the waiver applications are based on an NCAA rule that allows transferring players to become immediately eligible if they transferred because of 'egregious behavior' by a staff member at their former school," said attorney Thomas Mars, who is assisting the players in their appeals to the NCAA.