Laremy Tunsil Cleared to Play After 7 Game Suspension Due to NCAA Investigation

The NCAA announced today Ole Miss left tackle Laremy Tunsil will end up serving a seven-game suspension and will return to the field on Oct. 24 against Texas A&M after he was investigated for several alleged improper benefits. The last game of his suspension will be served this week against the Memphis Tigers. 

Continue for updates.

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Tunsil, Freeze Comment on NCAA's Decision 

Monday, Oct. 12

Tunsil released a statement discussing how the situation has impacted him:

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I take full responsibility for the mistakes I made and want to thank everyone for their continued support. I want to apologize to my teammates, coaches and the entire Ole Miss family for how my choices affected our program.  This was a learning experience, and I'm looking forward to being back on the field with my team and redeeming myself.  The last 10 months have been a physical and mental battle for me, but I love playing this game more than anything else.  I want to be here for my teammates who are depending on me to finish what we started together.

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Head coach Hugh Freeze believes this was a learning experience for his star player:

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We have been supportive of Laremy throughout this process, and we are thankful he can return to competition starting with the Texas A&M game.  More important than his football ability is his character, and I am confident that Laremy will grow from this experience and continue to be a positive member of the University and our football team.

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Details of NCAA Investigation Into Tunsil 

Tunsil was arrested this summer on charges of domestic violence after an incident with his stepfather, Lindsey Miller. Those charges have since been dismissed, but claims Miller made in the aftermath of the incident are at the heart of the NCAA's investigation. Miller alleged that Ole Miss falsified Tunsil's academic records, and he received impermissible benefits from potential representatives. 

"Whew, I don't know. That probably...I would have to be made to feel very comfortable about that, that our program is not at risk," Freeze said of potentially playing Tunsil, per Parrish Alford of the Sun Herald. "That would have to come from our administration above me."

Tunsil is considered one of college football's best offensive tackles and a surefire first-round draft pick. CBS Sports currently ranks him as the fifth-best player in the 2016 class.  

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