Dabo Swinney brought the receipts in a scathing, well thought-out and expertly crafted—and quite damning—unveiling of the alleged tampering perfomed by Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding, the Ole Miss staff and former players Friday in an attempt to bring the issue into the light.
What we got was a disertation that would have made the writers of Law and Order happy, as he laid out a near minute by minute timeline of how exactly the tampering went down.
Below is a full copy of the timeline:
Sunday, January 4
- Clemson staff member Jordan Sorrells had his first conversation with Ryan Williams, the agent representing Luke Ferrelli.
Monday, January 5
8:30 a.m.
- Luke Ferrelli arrived at Clemson with his father for his official visit.
Shortly after 9:00 p.m.
- Ferrelli and his father visited Swinney at his home.
- Swinney met Ferrelli in person for the first time.
- Ferrelli’s father described a recent Ole Miss visit as “not good,” citing disorganization and chaos.
Tuesday, January 6
2:30 p.m.
- Ferrelli, his father, and agent Ryan Williams verbally accepted Clemson’s offer.
- Clemson committed to Ferrelli as its only linebacker addition in the portal.
- All remaining linebacker visits were canceled.
3:15 p.m.
- Ferrelli and his father departed Clemson and returned to California.
Wednesday, January 7
11:00 a.m.
- Luke Ferrelli signed his financial aid agreement with Clemson.
Sunday, January 11
- Ferrelli moved to Clemson.
- He rented an apartment and purchased a car.
- He enrolled in classes and began team training.
- He attended team meetings and position meetings.
Wednesday, January 14
9:49 p.m.
- Agent Ryan Williams called Jordan Sorrells.
- Williams said Ole Miss had been pursuing Ferrelli aggressively.
- Williams confirmed Ferrelli was enrolled at Clemson but claimed Ferrelli had no intention of leaving.
Thursday, January 15
11:45 a.m.
- Sorrells briefed Swinney on the agent’s call from the previous night.
- Swinney directed Sorrells to contact Ole Miss general manager Austin Thomas.
12:10 p.m.
- Sorrells texted Thomas after failing to reach him by phone.
12:14 p.m.
- Sorrells and Thomas spoke by phone.
- Thomas said he wanted no part of the situation and claimed he had told the agent to disengage.
1:30 p.m.
- Sorrells met face-to-face with Luke Ferrelli.
- Ferrelli said Ole Miss coach Pete Golding texted him during an 8:00 a.m. class, asking:
“I know you’re signed. What’s the buyout?”
- Ferrelli said Golding later sent a photo of a $1 million contract and had others contact him to encourage re-entering the portal.
4:14 p.m.
- Clemson compliance informed staff that Ferrelli was attempting to re-enter the transfer portal.
4:19 p.m.
- Sorrells contacted agent Ryan Williams to report Ferrelli’s portal request.
4:40 p.m.
- Sorrells and defensive coordinator Tom Allen went to Ferrelli’s apartment.
- Ferrelli told them: “I’m going to Ole Miss.”
- He later said he needed time to “clear his head.”
5:39 p.m.
- Sorrells spoke again with Ole Miss GM Austin Thomas and informed him Clemson would pursue accountability for tampering.
Friday, January 16
11:20 a.m.
- Ferrelli called Clemson staffer Ben Boulware and said Ole Miss had contacted him again and doubled its offer.
11:22 a.m.
- Boulware relayed that information to Sorrells via text.
11:57 a.m.
- Sorrells spoke again with agent Ryan Williams.
- Williams confirmed continued contact from Ole Miss.
- Williams declined to provide text messages, citing future relationship concerns.
- Williams proposed Clemson add a second year at $1 million to the deal; Clemson declined.
12:30 p.m.
- Sorrells met Ferrelli outside the football facility.
- Ferrelli again said he was staying at Clemson.
Mid-afternoon
- Swinney was informed Ferrelli was seeking to re-enter the transfer portal.
- Swinney contacted athletic director Graham Neff and ACC commissioner Jim Phillips.
7:20 p.m.
- Ferrelli confirmed directly to Clemson staff and Swinney that he intended to re-enter the transfer portal.
Aftermath
Clemson submitted documentation to the NCAA on Friday, January 16.