Former Mississippi State Booster Accused Of Paying Players

The NCAA is finally finished with its investigation of Mississippi State’s football program, and the NCAA will accept the Bulldogs’ self-imposed punishment of four scholarships lost over two years, along with two years probation, four official visits lost, and no bowl ban.

For those that may not remember, the investigation surrounding the Bulldogs football program goes back to former wide receivers coach Angelo Mirando, who resigned for “personal reasons” after being accused of recruiting violations just ahead of the 2012 season. There were also accusations made by a Memphis 7-on-7 coach, Byron De’Vinner, who claimed he saw a MSU booster give money to a recruit, defensive back Will Redmond, and heard the booster giving or attempting to give extra benefits to other recruits. Redmond eventually spoke with NCAA investigators.

The NCAA is set to announce major recruiting violations against Mississippi State on Friday, according to CBS Sports’ Jeremy Fowler. The Committee on Infractions will announce the findings at 10 a.m. The fact that the COI is involved is indication that the infractions are considered “major,” as opposed to “secondary.”

Mirando resigned abruptly last summer, likely due to the NCAA investigation into what Mississippi State then called a “recruiting irregularity.” According to Feldman, the program is bracing for a loss of scholarships. The school also plans to self impose penalties, but won’t go so far as to ban the team from participating in the postseason.

De’Vinner also reportedly told ESPN.com’s Joe Schad that the same booster, Robert Denton Herring, had provided or attempted to provide benefits to other players:

However, De’Vinner has since denied talking to Schad on the record:

Former Mississippi State wide receiver coach Angelo Mirando was allegedly aware that a player received improper benefits from a MSU booster, according to a report from the Clarion Ledger.

“Will Redmond is a kid that was basically taken advantage of by a booster and by an assistant coach,” De’Vinner said during the radio appearance, accodring to the Clarion Ledger.

Former Mississippi State receivers coach Angelo Mirando cited “personal issues” when he surprisingly stepped down just weeks before the beginning of the season after working for Dan Mullen for four years. Now, following a report that Mirando’s resignation was due to a NCAA investigation into his recruitment of “at least one” current player, the school has confirmed something or other.

(No, this almost certainly has nothing to do with Cam Newton. Just getting that out of the way.)

The abrupt resignation of a Mississippi State assistant coach was not due to publicly stated “personal reasons,” but rather a NCAA investigation, according to ESPN:

Mirando had been with head coach Dan Mullen since joining the Florida staff as a graduate assistant while Mullen was offensive coordinator in 2008. He came with Mullen to Starkville, and was promoted to wide receivers coach in 2011 when Mark Hudspeth left that position to become the head coach at Louisiana-Lafayette. Former Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster is expected to be announced as Mirando’s replacement.