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Mississippi coach Hugh Freeze said he is "shocked like everyone else" that former offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil accepted money from the school during his playing career. "I know nothing," Freeze told reporters on an SEC teleconference on Thursday. "I'm not involved in the fact-finding process, but I'm confident that our administration is going to find the facts and then give us a good report."
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Freeze was at the NFL draft in Chicago the night Tunsil's stock plunged after a video of him smoking through a bong and wearing a gas mask emerged on a social-media site. The revelation led to a plunge from the possible No. 3 overall pick to Tunsil being picked at No. 13 by the Miami Dolphins.
After Tunsil was chosen, there was another social media incident on Instagram that appeared to show that Tunsil had asked an Ole Miss administrator for money in the past. Published reports identify the person as assistant athletic director of football operations John Miller.
A short time later, Tunsil was asked if he had accepted money at Ole Miss, and said: "I have to say yeah."
The timing of the Tunsil situation isn't good for Freeze and the football program.
The NCAA issued a Notice of Allegations to Ole Miss earlier this year that listed 13 potential rules violations by the football program. Nine of the violations occurred since Freeze became coach prior to the 2012 season.
"I'm not in the process of the fact-finding," Freeze said. "I'll be very quick to come out and defend us when it's something that we know the facts on. I don't at this present time. I know that our administration is working and I'm told they made a lot of progress, but they're collecting everything to make sure they know exactly what the facts are before we run out and make any type of response.
"I'm trying to be patient. That's difficult on me sometimes, because you want to respond. But there's great wisdom in being patient and making sure you get the facts, and we're still in that process."
In addition, Tunsil served a seven-game suspension during the 2015 season for receiving improper benefits. He originally misled NCAA investigators before correcting his account of what occurred.
The draft-night revelation only puts the Rebels and Freeze further under the microscope over how they are conducting business.
The Rebels went 6-18 in the two seasons prior to Freeze's hiring - including a 2-10 mark in 2011. Under Freeze, Ole Miss has never had a losing campaign and went 10-3 in 2015.
Freeze is aware of the perception and said he would like to say more about the matter but is taking a prudent approach.
"The facts are always more important than speed and our public response," Freeze said. "Our administration will continue to work with all the parties and reach a conclusion as soon as possible, and we're hopeful that's coming quickly. We haven't discussed the next step. You get the facts first and then you know a lot more after that."
