SEC Under Fire: Alabama, Ole Miss Stir Controversy as Compliance Questions Mount
It’s been a turbulent offseason for the SEC, and Commissioner Greg Sankey is facing heat on multiple fronts. Between eyebrow-raising player moves and potential NCAA violations, the conference that prides itself on dominance is now under scrutiny for something far less flattering-its handling of internal discipline and compliance.
Let’s start with the two programs currently drawing the most attention: Alabama and Ole Miss.
At Alabama, men’s basketball head coach Nate Oats made waves by bringing Charles Bediako back into the fold-three years after the big man declared for the NBA Draft. While technically not against the rules, the move raised plenty of questions about eligibility, precedent, and the direction of college basketball in the NIL era. It’s a bold maneuver, and one that’s drawing criticism not just for the optics, but for what it suggests about the current state of roster management in college hoops.
Meanwhile, over in Oxford, Ole Miss football is dealing with a situation that could carry more serious consequences. Head coach Pete Golding reportedly texted Clemson linebacker commit Luke Ferrelli-while Ferrelli was still in class at Clemson-asking about his buyout and ultimately flipping him to the Rebels.
That kind of contact, especially with a player who was already committed elsewhere, is likely to fall under a Level II NCAA violation. In plain terms: this isn’t just aggressive recruiting, it could be a direct breach of the rulebook.
Both incidents have sparked criticism across the college sports landscape, and the calls for accountability are growing louder. The expectation is that Sankey, as the face of the SEC, steps in to steady the ship. But so far, the response has been quiet-too quiet for some.
And the issues don’t stop there.
According to a recent report, two SEC programs-unnamed for now-are reportedly out of compliance with the College Sports Commission’s NIL regulations. The CSC, which has taken on an enforcement role in the post-House Settlement era, has reportedly sent formal correspondence to these schools regarding their failure to use the mandated NIL Go system.
The CSC is still finding its footing, grappling with enforcement challenges and limited manpower. But the fact that SEC schools are already pushing-or possibly ignoring-the boundaries of NIL compliance is a sign that the guardrails are being tested. There’s even talk that some programs are using promissory notes to skirt NIL guidelines, a workaround that threatens to unravel what little structure the CSC has managed to implement so far.
It’s not just a compliance issue-it’s a credibility issue. For a conference that has long set the tone in college athletics, these recent storylines paint a picture of chaos, not control.
Sankey has built a reputation as one of the most influential figures in college sports. But influence only goes so far when the foundation starts to crack.
The SEC has always embraced a certain level of drama-some might even say it’s part of the charm. But there’s a difference between being competitive and being careless.
Right now, the spotlight is on Sankey to show that the SEC isn’t just about winning at all costs. That it still values structure, accountability, and the integrity of the game. If he can’t rein in the chaos, the perception that the league is operating without oversight will only grow stronger.
And in today’s college sports landscape-where NIL, transfers, and compliance are evolving by the minute-perception matters more than ever.
The SEC has always been a powerhouse. But if Sankey doesn’t reassert control soon, the narrative could shift from dominance to dysfunction. And for a conference that’s long prided itself on being the gold standard, that’s a storyline no one wants to see play out.