Clemson Denies FOIA Requests Into Ole Miss Tampering Allegations

University cites student privacy laws in rejecting media inquiries about Dabo Swinney's claims.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 4:19pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Clemson University has denied multiple media requests for information related to head coach Dabo Swinney's public allegations that Ole Miss illegally recruited transfer player Luke Ferrelli. The university cited student privacy laws in rejecting the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, despite Swinney's detailed timeline of the alleged tampering.

Why it matters

Swinney's accusations of "blatant tampering" by Ole Miss have prompted an NCAA investigation, raising questions about transparency and the ability to verify claims of recruiting violations across college sports.

The details

After Ferrelli initially committed to Clemson on January 6 and signed a financial aid agreement, Swinney said the linebacker later told Clemson staff that he had been in contact with Ole Miss coach Pete Golding, who allegedly asked Ferrelli about the "buyout" while he was still enrolled at Clemson. Ferrelli then entered the transfer portal on January 22 and ultimately enrolled at Ole Miss.

  • On January 23, Dabo Swinney publicly accused Ole Miss of "blatant tampering" with Ferrelli.
  • In February, Swinney provided further details about the alleged tampering, describing it as "Tampering 301" level.
  • In March, media outlets reported that Clemson had denied their FOIA requests related to Swinney's allegations.

The players

Dabo Swinney

The head football coach at Clemson University who publicly accused Ole Miss of illegally recruiting one of his transfer signees.

Luke Ferrelli

A linebacker who initially committed to Clemson before entering the transfer portal and enrolling at Ole Miss, at the center of the tampering allegations.

Pete Golding

The first-year head football coach at Ole Miss, accused by Swinney of directly contacting Ferrelli while he was still enrolled at Clemson.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I sent a public records request to Clemson for, essentially, the receipts to [Swinney's allegations], plus any communication between Clemson and Ole Miss, the NCAA or CSC related to these allegations.”

— Matt Baker, Reporter (The Athletic)

“Clemson denied my request citing FERPA and state law about 'information of a personal nature'.”

— Matt Baker, Reporter (The Athletic)

What’s next

The NCAA investigation into Ole Miss' portal activities, prompted by Swinney's allegations, is ongoing and could lead to further developments.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges of transparency in college sports, as universities can cite student privacy laws to avoid disclosing information about potential recruiting violations, even when coaches make public accusations.