Sankey talks Jeffery Simmons decision as SEC expands transfer ban
As expected, the SEC expanded its “serious misconduct” rule as it relates to potential transfer student-athletes.
The league first introduced a rule banning transfers with a history of serious misconduct (sexual assault, domestic violence or other forms of sexual violence) from transferring into SEC programs last year. Now, the league added dating violence, stalking or “conduct of a nature that creates serious concerns about the safety of others” to its definition of “serious misconduct,” commissioner Greg Sankey said at the league’s meetings Friday. Additionally, transfers who have pled guilty or no contest to a felony involving serious misconduct also fall under the ban.
The modified rule does not include incoming high school players. This distinction is notable with respect to Mississippi State’s decision to allow five-star defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons to enroll. MSU announced Thursday that the enrollment of Simmons, who was captured on video striking a woman several times, comes “with conditions,” including a one-game suspension and counseling.
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Bulldogs athletic director Scott Stricklin defended the decision when meeting with reporters Thursday.
“Five seconds of action that’s a really poor choice shouldn’t preclude that young person from having the opportunity to go to the university and compete,” Stricklin said. “Once you make that decision the next thing is, besides the counseling, should there be other consequences. And we ranged from ‘You know what, he wasn’t a student of ours yet, we’ve never disciplined someone before they were one of our students. Should we do that?’ To long-term game suspensions — I wasn’t comfortable doing that because he wasn’t a student.”
Stricklin also said the SEC was “comfortable” with MSU’s decision. Sankey, who said he watched the video “several weeks ago,” was not necessarily on board with that characterization.
Video of the March incident shows Simmons, who is facing misdemeanor disturbing the peace charges, punching a woman multiple times while she is on the ground. When announcing its decision to allow his enrollment, Mississippi State said Simmons “used physical force” in “an effort to break up a domestic fight between his sister and another adult woman.”
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Stricklin said the punishment could have been harsher if Simmons was an MSU student when the incident occurred.
“Number one, if it were a domestic or sexual assault-type issue, if this were a person that had a history, I think that is something you would look at,” Stricklin said. “Again, I think you’re trying to be fair to the young person at the same time and understand that they made a mistake. There’s got to be consequences for that.”
Simmons, the top-rated recruit from the state of Mississippi, will miss the Bulldogs’ season-opener against South Alabama.
For more Mississippi State news, visit BulldogBlitz.com.
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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
