CLEMSON \u2014 Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has to be pleased with the news that came out Monday night from the NCAA.<\/p>\n
The Division I Board of Directors has charged the NCAA Enforcement Staff to \u201cpursue significant penalties\u201d for tampering violations, according to a memo the NCAA sent to its member schools on Monday. Yahoo.com Senior College Football Writer, Ross Dellenger, first reported the story. <\/p>\n
The question now becomes \u2014 will the NCAA actually follow through?<\/p>\n
Clemson Football surely hopes so. <\/p>\n
\nIn a memo sent today to NCAA schools, VP of Enforcement Jon Duncan announces that the DI Board of Directors has charged the staff to \u201cpursue significant penalties\u201d for tampering violations, while also more publicly announcing cases, and reminded schools about the tampering bylaw. pic.twitter.com\/UwLWVBQEkq<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) February 23, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Last month, Swinney publicly accused Ole Miss and head football coach Pete Golding of blatant tampering with former Clemson linebacker Luke Ferrelli, who was already enrolled at Clemson and was not in the transfer portal at the time the alleged tampering took place.<\/p>\n
Swinney brought out the receipts<\/a> in his press conference regarding Ole Miss\u2019s tampering \u2013 what he called a \u201cwhole other level\u201d of tampering. In the same press conference, Clemson Athletic Director Graham Neff said Clemson had turned over evidence to the NCAA that proved Ole Miss was tampering with the student-athlete.<\/p>\n
Clemson had a very public transfer portal situation with Ferrelli, who played at Cal last season. Ferrelli visited Clemson early on in the portal window, then quickly announced a commitment to the Tigers.<\/p>\n
Clemson officially announced Ferrelli\u2019s addition, and the rising redshirt sophomore was enrolled, attending classes and participating in team activities. Then, news broke of\u00a0his impending departure.<\/a><\/p>\n
\u201cThe NCAA was surprised that a school was willing to come forward as directly and as transparently as we have,\u201d Neff said on Jan. 23. \u201cNormally, there is a lot of complaint in the media, hearsay amongst the industry, etc. Very little actually gets reported. That is coming from the NCAA directly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are very eager to support them in the process and in the determination of the rules and go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The NCAA is working with an \u201cinfractions modernization task force\u201d to expedite the process of investigating potential violators for tampering. The VP of Enforcement, Jon Duncan, said this is to \u201cbetter serve the new era of Division I.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThe NCAA staff is working with an \u201cinfractions modernization task force\u201d to expedite the process of investigating potential rules violators for tampering and other matters, Duncan says in the letter, in an effort to \u201cbetter serve the new era of Division I.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/P38LyytX9u<\/a><\/p>\n