Following Clemson Claims, SEC Wants to Dive Into Tampering Regulations

The Clemson Tigers have begun a domino effect of schools looking to speak out about tampering violations through the transfer portal.

After head coach Dabo Swinney ripped Ole Miss apart for tampering, the SEC now looks into what's to come. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

To say that Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is frustrated by the current, chaotic state of college football would be an understatement. He wants change, that much is clear. But he needs help and support, and he just might be getting it. 

On Friday, The Athletic reported that University of Georgia president Jere Morehead suggested that the SEC should create and enforce its own rules on tampering and other regulations. 

While Morehead didn’t specifically cite Clemson’s recent tampering incident involving Ole Miss, he did cite a general frustration with the lack of enforcement from both the NCAA and the College Sports Commission (CSC). 

“Have we seen the CSC move against any institution yet? I don’t think so. Have we seen the NCAA take any action on tampering? I don’t think so,” Morehead said. 

Morehead’s desire for the SEC to step in where the NCAA has failed to is not just a baseless sentiment, though. It's a fruitful idea that is gaining traction, with Morehead stating that “several” other SEC program presidents are already in support.

“I think we’re getting to the point that the Southeastern Conference is going to have to create its own set of rules, enforce them against our members, and hope that we can set an example that the other Power 4 conferences would then follow. But we desperately need rules, and rules that are going to be enforced. We have rules, but they’re not being enforced,” Morehead said. 

Earlier this week, the NCAA confirmed involvement in the tampering case against Pete Golding and Ole Miss. It’s a step in the right direction, but Morehead just wants conferences like the SEC to have some power. 

“What’s the risk? That we’re going to have a great, orderly conference where we’re all working together, and everyone else is in chaos?” Morehead said. “Does that really put us in a bad position? I don’t know. Maybe it puts us in a better position to have less chaos, because right now we have chaos, and we’re still waiting for someone to enforce the House settlement, and for someone to enforce the NCAA tampering rules.”

In his press conference on Jan. 23, Swinney challenged coaches to step up, making the response from Morehead and the SEC music to his ears. 

“You either step up and you be an example to young coaches in this profession and be people of integrity, or just shut your mouth and don't complain again,” Swinney said. 

Morehead, having firmly established himself as a person of integrity, said that if enough SEC presidents are on board, the idea would be presented to SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.