Archie Manning defends Ole Miss’ Hugh Freeze on NCAA violations

Archie Manning has spoken out in defense of Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze.

Archie Manning has spoken out in defense of Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze as Ole Miss football is reportedly responsible for 13 of the 28 NCAA violations in a Notice of Allegations, Parish Alford of the Daily Journalreports.

“We can [recruit] because we’ve got a great head coach who’s a good recruiter,” Manning said. “And he’s got a staff that feeds off each other. Their concept is selling Ole Miss, selling the program and maybe doing something a little different than what everybody else has been doing. People come here and experience game day and campus life, and kids want to come. That’s the truth of the matter.”

“I know the integrity of Hugh Freeze,” he added. “That’s my only answer. That’s what I know.”

• Report card: Grading every new FBS coaching hire

Nine of the 13 football violations by the football team occurred during Freeze’s tenure, according to the report earlier in the week. The violations include some Level I infractions, which the NCAA considers most serious.

Manning was on the university search committee that helped hire Freeze in 2011.

Ole Miss has 90 days to respond to the NCAA allegations.