Ole Miss Rebels

Report: Laremy Tunsil sidelined due to receiving loaner car

Published Sep. 17, 2015 12:15 a.m. ET

foxsports

Finally information has leaked regarding Ole Miss' decision to sit their best offensive lineman to start the season, as ESPN is reporting Laremy Tunsil received an improper benefit by accepting a loaner car and not returning it in a timely fashion.

The report suggests the NCAA has been investigating Ole Miss for over three years and Tunsil's offseason arrest following a domestic disturbance at his mother's home once again brought the NCAA's attention to the football program in Oxford.

While Tunsil's car was in the repair shop of a dealership, the offensive lineman was given a loaner car that he kept for an extended period of time. The dealership is now run by a former Ole Miss assistant coach and is currently a corporate sponsor of the athletic department.

The NCAA has yet to enforce any punishment on Tunsil or the Ole Miss football program, but history suggests at least a four-game suspension will be applied to Tunsil - a season-long suspension is also possible.

Ole Miss athletic director Ross Bjork and head coach Hugh Freeze have not commented on the situation aside from a joint statement released last week:

"The matters involving Laremy Tunsil aren't related to anybody on our football staff, Coach Freeze or any of the assistants," Bjork said in the statement. "We want to protect the young man and are doing everything we can to do that, but we also have to and need to and should protect our staff and our program."

(h/t ESPN)