Update: NCAA Ruling Will Not Cost Additional Scholarships for UM

The University of Mississippi today clarified a key point about the reduction of scholarships imposed by the NCAA’s ruling on recruiting violations.
Contrary to some media reports, including those on HottyToddy.com, the NCAA has not levied additional scholarship reductions beyond those self-imposed by the university administration after its own internal investigation.
In an email to HottyToddy.com on Saturday, Michael Thompson, Ole Miss’ senior associate athletic director for communications and marketing, confirmed that the university had already reduced its scholarships by a total of 13 over a four-year period—that’s a 15 percent reduction from the total of 85 scholarships and meets the NCAA’s requirement.
Ole Miss reduced its scholarships by one in 2015, two in 2016, six in 2017 and four in 2018.
In other words, the NCAA accepted all of the university’s self-imposed penalties with the exception of the one-year postseason ban. The NCAA added an additional bowl ban for 2018, which Ole Miss will appeal.
That means Ole Miss and Head Coach Matt Luke will be able to offer 81 scholarships in 2018, down four from the allowed total of 85.

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Rick Hynum is HottyToddy.com’s editor-in-chief. Email him at rick.hynum@hottytoddy.com.