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Hugh Freeze responds to Mike Gundy by speculating about the result of a Sugar Bowl rematch
Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze sure wanted to at least look like he hadn’t heard of Mike Gundy’s comments about the 2016 Sugar Bowl.
The Oklahoma State coach told the Tulsa World last week that he wondered if Oklahoma State was on a “level playing field” in its loss to Ole Miss. The Rebels, as you likely know, are facing an NCAA Notice of Allegations and have self-imposed a bowl ban for the 2017 season.
Freeze was asked about what Gundy said Tuesday as Ole Miss opened spring practice. After first playing it coy and asking the reporter broaching the topic what Gundy’s comments were about, Freeze went with the ol’ I have no comment but I’ll give a comment approach.
“Nah, I don’t have any comment,” Freeze said. “Maybe we can meet in another Sugar Bowl and see how that one goes too.”
But, as we must point out, it won’t be the 2018 Sugar Bowl because of that bowl ban thing. Oklahoma State could make the game, but the opponent won’t be Ole Miss.
Freeze has defended himself at nearly every opportunity despite the lack of institutional control charge it is facing from the NCAA. The school’s football program has been accused of 21 instances of wrongdoing, though none are related to possible violations stemming from the allegations uncovered the night of the 2016 NFL draft involving former offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Tuesday, Freeze lamented the questions he’s faced regarding his integrity in the midst of the over 20 allegations.
“That’s hard,” Freeze said. “That’s the toughest part of this whole deal really, is your integrity being questioned. And whether we like it or not or whether it’s true or not, public opinion forms some people’s opinion and your wife and your kids have to read all that. Some’s true, some’s not, yet it forms the opinion. And so that’s difficult”
In his statement after the bowl ban, Freeze said he was “disappointed to learn” of the accusations his staff members violated NCAA rules and that “any behavior by my staff that is inconsistent with that commitment to do things the right way simply does not reflect the emphasis I personally place on NCAA compliance.”
He later added during the press conference that the program will “be accountable for the things that are proven to be true when we get in front of the committee on infractions.”
For more Ole Miss news, visit RebelGrove.com.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
