CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) 鈥� It鈥檚 been six months since Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney publicly for engaging in what he called 鈥渂latant鈥� tampering to lure away transfer linebacker Luke Ferrelli.
He has heard nothing back despite providing an alleged timeline, evidence and receipts to the NCAA.
Swinney said Thursday he doesn鈥檛 regret pointing the finger at Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding and general manager Austin Thomas. And he again pushed for change and accountability on Thursday for what he called 鈥渞ampant鈥� tampering in college football.
鈥淲e鈥檙e probably gonna need some congressional help for that,鈥� Swinney said during the Atlantic Coast Conference’s preseason football media days. 鈥淭here has to be some type of order put in place. The tampering is a problem. So there needs to be consequences or you just say to heck with it, don鈥檛 worry about it, and let鈥檚 just call it like it is 鈥� the wild, wild West.鈥�
Swinney suggested fines, suspensions and even firings should be considered to discourage tampering, which has .
鈥淭here is lots of things that can be put in place,鈥� Swinney said. 鈥�(Tampering) is rampant because there hasn鈥檛 been consequences and I don鈥檛 know there has been much fear of consequences. So you鈥檝e got to get some order.鈥�
Golding defended Ole Miss in April, referring to Ferrelli, who abruptly transferred to Ole Miss 20 days after beginning classes and team meetings at Clemson in January.
Ferrelli played last season at Cal before originally transferring to Clemson.
In March, Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey called NCAA language but stopped short of urging the oversight body to halt tampering investigations.
Sankey said the new landscape in college sports calls for the rules language to be changed.
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips on Wednesday urged coaches and administrators to go public with information if they see potential tampering.
Other ACC coaches have expressed support for Swinney for speaking out.
鈥淚 agree with Dabo,鈥� Louisville coach Jeff Brohm said. 鈥淗e should have been upset. To me that type of tampering shouldn鈥檛 happen. It goes back to there needs to be more guardrails. There needs to be a system in place where there鈥檚 consequences for doing things you鈥檙e not supposed to do, and that鈥檚 not in college football right now.鈥�
Brohm said it鈥檚 one of the reasons he wants to see the passed in Congress.
The bill that top lawmakers and have described as the best hope to stabilize cleared a key vote in the Senate in June following weeks of input from schools, conferences and athletes.
It is now currently in the House for a vote.
The bill would address many areas, including tampering.
鈥淚t may not be perfect for everyone, but I鈥檓 all for it,鈥� Brohm said. 鈥滻 think it鈥檚 important that we do something to try to help the game overall and then make adjustments along the way. Until there鈥檚 consequences for cheating and tampering, people will continue to skirt the edges.鈥�
Syracuse coach Fran Brown said he鈥檚 not sure any rules will change how some teams conduct business behind the scenes.
鈥淪ome people just gonna be certain ways,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 still crime in America, right? It鈥檚 just certain things that you鈥檙e not gonna ever be able to stop.鈥�
Swinney said that despite not receiving an update from the NCAA, he doesn鈥檛 regret going public with the allegations against Ole Miss 鈥� despite receiving some public criticism.
鈥淭hey don鈥檛 owe me an update,鈥� Swinney added. 鈥淚 did my part. The NCAA, ask them for an update. No idea.鈥�
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