STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State University athletic department is disassociating itself with a booster involved in the NCAA investigation.
In documents obtained by The Dispatch, the MSU compliance department has refunded season ticket money for the 2012 season and a financial donation to the department to the booster, whose named was redacted in the paperwork.
The letter from MSU’s outside counsel Mike Glazier to the booster reads “the investigation has revealed that as a representative of Mississippi State’s athletics interests, you engaged in impermissible contact with the prospective student-athlete and that other violations of NCAA rules also may have occurred.”
The letter also says MSU’s compliance department is trying to get the booster to interview with the NCAA. The booster has declined to interview with the NCAA numerous times. MSU also informed the booster he no longer is allowed to participate in any organization recognized by MSU as a supporter of the university, assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes, provide benefits, including employment, for any enrolled student-athlete, send a gift of any kind for support of MSU athletics, and receive any privileges as an athletic booster not given to the general public.
After receiving the letter from MSU’s outside council, the booster involved in the NCAA investigation requested his donation also be refunded.
Last week, The Dispatch reported The NCAA is investigating MSU for a “potential recruiting irregularity” involving its football program.
Sources close to the situation confirmed to The Dispatch the investigation involves an automobile purchased for MSU freshman defensive back Will Redmond. The Ford Mustang was purchased from a used car dealership in his hometown of Memphis, Tenn., before Redmond signed with MSU this February.
NCAA Associate Director of Public and Media Relations Stacey Osburn released a statement to The Dispatch confirming MSU’s statement to the media but said the NCAA would “have no further comment” at this time.
MSU coach Dan Mullen said Thursday evening the investigation “has been going on for the last several months.” He confirmed Redmond participated in practice Thursday.
Mullen attempted to downplay the reports when told a reporter broke the news while MSU was on the practice field.
“I would try to get a little more reliable source than Joe Schad,” Mullen said. “I’m supposed to be coaching at State College, I guess, right now, too, according to Joe Schad last year. Wasn’t that the case?”
Since releasing its statement about the NCAA investigation, MSU officials have declined further comment.
Mullen will script first 12 plays vs. Jackson State
Mullen said Tuesday he will continue his routine of scripting the first 12 offensive plays for his team’s season opener against Jackson State University at 6 p.m. Saturday (Fox Sports South)
Mullen said scripting plays is a perfect way to calm nerves of younger players and to give confidence to junior quarterback Tyler Russell.
“You want your quarterback involved in what he feels good early in the game, Mullen said. “If you’ve got a play you want to make sure you get called or you want to see early, you put that in there.”
Some of MSU’s veterans said there is a comfort factor knowing what the calls will be on the game’s opening drive.
“Anytime you already know what you’re doing before the game even starts, it just allows you to not have to think so much and you can relax out there,” MSU senior wide receiver Arceto Clark said. “You can just go out and play early inside of worrying about messing up because you know what to do.”
Mullen said Tuesday game situations could alter the idea of scripting the first 12 plays.
“You get a third down, you might go over to your third-down
calls,” Mullen said. “You get down in the red zone, you’re going to your red zone calls. I think it just kind of gives you a starting point of where you want to go, how you want to start the game, and what you’re looking for.”
Mullen also said scripting the first 12 plays shows MSU how a defense will line up against a package or a play, which makes adjustments easier later in the game.
“If I want to see how (a defense) plays empty (set), let’s get into it early and see what they’re going to do in it,” Mullen said. “I want to see how they’re going to play a I-Formation. Let’s get in the I and say, ‘OK, what if we do unbalanced, what do they do to that?'”
Mullen finally referenced the first play call of his coaching career against Jackson State in 2009, a double-reverse pass, he planned months before the kickoff of MSU’s 45-7 win at Davis Wade Stadium.
“That double-reverse was planned out like a year, a long time ago,” Mullen said. “Now we’re four years in, we’ll probably hand it off up the middle (and the fans will yell), ‘booooo!'”
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