Ole Miss star left tackle Laremy Tunsil will serve one more game on suspension and make his season debut the following week, Oct. 24 against Texas A&M.
The NCAA notified Ole Miss on Monday that Tunsil's last game on the sideline will be this Saturday against Memphis, according to a release from the school.
The junior is the top left tackle in college football, according to NFL Media's Lance Zierlein, but he hasn't been able to show it since last year. Ole Miss has held Tunsil out of the lineup all season -- including the Memphis game, the suspension will total seven games -- amid a school and NCAA investigation into his eligibility. The investigation determined Tunsil accepted impermissible benefits including three loaner vehicles over a six-month period without payment, an airline ticket and two nights of free lodging, among other violations. The investigation also determined Tunsil was not initially forthcoming with NCAA investigators, which can lead to more a more extensive penalty.
"I take full responsibility for the mistakes I made and want to thank everyone for their continued support. I want to apologize to my teammates, coaches and the entire Ole Miss family for how my choices affected our program," Tunsil said. "This was a learning experience, and I'm looking forward to being back on the field with my team and redeeming myself. The last 10 months have been a physical and mental battle for me, but I love playing this game more than anything else. I want to be here for my teammates who are depending on me to finish what we started together."
Trouble for Tunsil began when he got into an altercation with his stepfather, Lindsey Miller, over the summer. He was arrested on a domestic violence charge which was later dismissed. Tunsil alleged he was defending his mother from physical harm from Miller, a charge Miller denied. However, Miller later alleged that Tunsil had received improper benefits from sports agents and during his recruitment to the school in 2012, and spoke to an NCAA investigator soon after.
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