Ole Miss still trying to sort out Laremy Tunsil incident

Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze knew he would be asked about it and immediately answered.

“I’m confident in the person that Laremy is,” Freeze told The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger on Thursday at SEC Media Days. “I know that we will cooperate fully with whatever is going on, whether it be with the NCAA or the criminal part. But again, extremely confident in who we are and our core values.”

Laremy Tunsil, one of the top offensive linemen in the country, has been in the news over the past two weeks because of a sordid situation. Tunsil was arrested and charged with domestic violence against his stepfather, Lindsey Miller. Tunsil claims he was protecting his mother after he saw Miller push her.

Miller refuted that claim, saying he only argued with Tunsil’s mother, but Tunsil and his mother pressed charges against Miller. Miller then told police that he was arguing with Tunsil’s mother because Tunsil was talking with sports agents and that he took improper benefits.

Tunsil is allowed to speak to agents but can’t sign any papers or accept anything. Ole Miss and the NCAA are investigating if Tunsil was provided benefits.

The school has not declared Tunsil ineligible, and Freeze said he was confident that Tunsil would start the Rebels’ first game.

As for a distraction, Ole Miss’ other players said there wasn’t one.

“We leave that to our compliance guys, make sure everything is all right,” defensive back Mike Hilton said. “We look past it, we don’t talk about it in the locker room. We just look forward to workouts and getting ready for camp and getting ready for the season.”

NO ANSWERS

Georgia coach Mark Richt repeated it several times – he doesn’t know who his starting quarterback is.

“I have no idea who the starter is going to be,” Richt said. “I don’t have that answer.”

The Bulldogs are deciding among Brice Ramsey, Faton Bauta and Greyson Lambert, who transferred from Virginia. Lambert’s experience may push him to the top, but because he had to finish classes at UVa and graduate before he could transfer, he has only been in Athens for a week.

BROTHERLY LOVE

Ole Miss’ Evan Engram is one of the top tight ends in the country.

He might be the second-best athlete in his family.

Engram’s sister, Mackenzie Engram, is heading into her sophomore season for Georgia’s women’s basketball team. She averages 7.7 points per game.

Who wins at one-on-one?

“She stopped playing me a long time ago, because I beat her up a little bit too much,” Engram said. “I’d rather be too tough and beat the girl than not be too tough and get beat by my sister. Definitely, she can’t see me on the court.”

OH WELL

After Dan Mullen and Bret Bielema traded remarks of a desired shoe war with their adidas and Nike kicks, respectively, reporters waited to see what Les Miles would do. The grass-eating coach disappointed hundreds when he showed up with plain black dress shoes – although he brought along a favorite pair of sneakers.

The yellow and purple Converses shared the dais with LSU’s helmet.

“Coach couldn’t wear these, but he knew he’d be asked,” jibed an LSU official.

THEY SAID IT

“It was a mistake. If I could spray-paint them, I would.” – Miles on the red pants that tailback Leonard Fournette wore to SEC Media Days.

This story was originally published July 16, 2015 at 4:38 PM.