BY DAVID COLLIER
dlcollie@go.olemiss.edu
Following an investigation that began last year, the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions has accepted self-imposed sanctions that put Mississippi State on two years of probation, which will result in loss of scholarships, recruiting visits and other penalties.
The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions announced Friday that a Mississippi State booster, Robert Denton Herring, provided impermissible benefits to Bulldog defensive back Will Redmond.
According to the NCAA release, Herring “exchanged more than 100 phone calls with Redmond, assisted him in securing a car to drive to a campus visit and provided cash to the recruit on multiple occasions. Additionally, Herring and a friend provided a car to Redmond for approximately $2,000 below the actual value of the car. Prior to taking an official visit to a different university, Herring told Redmond that if he did not take the visit, the recruit would be paid $6,000.”
Redmond has been reinstated after paying back $2,660 in benefits, forfeiting a year of eligibility during the 2012 season and being slated to miss the first five games of the 2013 season.
Mississippi State’s penalties include a loss of four total scholarships (two scholarships for 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years), reduction of the number of official visits from 41 to 39 for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years, reduction of the number of recruiting days during the spring evaluation period from 168 to 164 for the 2013-14 academic year and prohibited complimentary admissions to football recruits for the first two conference games of the 2013 season.
In addition to Mississippi State’s penalties, former wide receivers coach Angelo Mirando received a one-year show-cause, which prohibits him from recruiting activities and booster interaction.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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