As the Ole Miss program continues to be investigated by the NCAA, a key administrator close to the school’s recruiting efforts has been placed on administrative leave.
Ole Miss assistant athletic director Barney Farrar has been placed on administrative leave, according to multiple reports on Wednesday (first reported by Rebel Grove), but the school will not be commenting on Farrar’s status at this time. That makes sense, as this could all be tied to an ongoing investigation. Not commenting on anything related to an investigation is pretty standard.
It is worth noting, however, that Farrar is believed to be a key figure in the NCAA’s investigation. When former Rebel Laremy Tunsil spilled the beans on being paid at Ole Miss, text messages discovered apparently tied Farrar to the story, as one text referred Tunsil to “see Barney next week” after the current NFL player previously texted a coach that he needed money for rent. Farrar has denied any involvement in paying players at Ole Miss, but one has to wonder if this suspension tells a different story.
Farrar has been a part of the recruiting efforts at Ole Miss during the past five years with Hugh Freeze in place as head coach. Farrar has taken on the responsibility of organzing communications with high school players as well as JUCO transfers.
The investigation process at Ole Miss has no deadline, although the school was tentatively scheduled to attend a Committee of Infractions meeting over the summer. That was put on ice to allow the NCAA to continue its investigation after Tunsil’s eventful NFL Draft process.
