Michael Bonner

The Clarion-Ledger

Mississippi State reported 21 secondary violations to the Southeastern Conference during the 2013-14 academic school year according to information received from a public records request. MSU also reported a men's basketball violation that occurred this summer.

Of the violations reported eight belonged to football – the most of any sport. Men's golf received the second-most with three.

The names of the players and coaches in the report were exempt from disclosure under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

Men's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's tennis and women's soccer did not report a violation.

The SEC accepted Mississippi State's self –imposed penalties in those reports the conference responded to.

Nearly half of the violations pertained to some kind of impermissible contact with a prospect. The football program accounted for five of the 10 reported violations regarding contacting a prospect. Two of those violations involved people within the football program responding on Twitter publicly rather than privately.

The violation also reveal the recruiting office using illegal stickers.

Mississippi State sent out a "Junior Day" invitation. The back of the envelope was sealed with an "Elite Junior Day 2014 Official Invite" sticker. The contents were within the guidelines. The sticker was deemed a violation.

A table also got the Bulldogs in trouble. On Jan. 18, 2014 MSU's football staff set up a table in the locker room to display game equipment. The display table was determined to be a "special addition" to the locker room, and thus a violation.

Mississippi State reported three cases regarding impermissible benefits. Two baseball players received reserved seating football tickets to the home game against Troy. They received them from a "close friend." The two players were deemed ineligible until they made a charitable donation of $35, the value of the tickets.

MSU also reported head golf coach Clay Homan for treating his team to dinner followed by a night of bowling. The campus' Barnes and Noble was also cited for not charging late fees for student athletes returning their cap and gowns.

Below is a list of all 22 secondary violations that includes one from this summer.

1. June 20, 2013 – Women's basketball team participated in skill related instruction in the view of the general public.

2. Sept. 13, 2013 – Track and field impermissible in-person, off campus contact and telephone calls prior to permissible time period with prospective athlete.

3. Sept. 25, 2013 – Men's golf regarding contact with a prospect during days of their competition.

4. Sept. 25, 2013 – Football regarding permissible recruiting materials. Prospect was sent materials at the start of his sophomore year. Student worker entered he was a junior.

5. Sept. 25, 2013 – Football regarding electronic transmissions to a prospective student-athlete. A person inside the football program received a tweet from a prospect's parent. He mistakenly replied with a regular tweet instead of a direct message.

6. Oct. 7, 2013 – Two baseball players accepted reserved seating football tickets from a "close friend" to MSU's home game against Troy. The value of the tickets was $35.

7. Oct. 21, 2013 – Men's golf involving an email that was sent prior to the permissible time period to a prospect.

8. Oct. 24, 2013 – Softball regarding two required days off per week outside the playing season.

9. Oct. 28, 2013 – A local apartment complex used the likeness of several MSU football players in a tweet without their knowledge or consent.

10. Nov. 15, 2013 – Football involving an assistant coach making multiple phone calls in a week to a prospect during the week of 11/14/13.

11. Dec. 2, 2013 – Football involving limitation on the number of official visits a prospect may be provided. An East Mississippi Community College football player was provided an official visit to MSU on Nov. 15-17 after he had already taken five official visits.

12. Dec. 5, 2013 – Volleyball regarding an impermissible off-campus recruiter and means on an official visit.

13. Jan. 27, 2014 – Men's golf regarding extra benefits being provided. On Dec. 4, 2013 head coach Clay Homan provided his team with a meal and paid for the student-athletes to bowl.

14. Jan. 9, 2014 – A web site used a current football player's name. The site sold items bearing the player's name and likeness.

15. Jan. 29, 2014 – Football regarding permissible materials sent to prospects. MSU sent out a "Junior Day" invitation. The back of the envelope was sealed with an "Elite Junior Day 2014 Official Invite" sticker. The contents were within the guidelines. The sticker was deemed a violation.

16. Jan. 29, 2014 – Football regarding activities during an official visit. On Jan. 18, 2014 MSU's football staff set up a table in the locker room to display game equipment. The display table was determined to be a "special addition" to the locker room, and thus a violation.

17. Jan. 30, 2014 – Extra benefits provided to student-athletes. Barnes and Noble bookstore did not charge student-athletes a late fee for their cap and gown rentals.

18. Feb. 27, 2014 – Football regarding publicity during a recruiting contact. On Feb. 1, 2014 a local caterer providing meals to prospects on an official visits tweeted "Feeding recruits on final weekend before signing day!!!"

19. March 25, 2014 – Women's golf regarding allowable general correspondence provided to prospects.

20. March 16, 2014 – Football regarding public communication with a prospect. On Feb. 12, 2014 a football grad assistant responded to a prospect's tweet publicly instead of through a direct message.

21. March 18, 2014 – Track and field regarding permissible number of telephone call to a prospect in a week.

SUMMER

1. July 1, 2014 – Men's basketball regarding Summer Athletic Activities. A returning player withdrew from summer classes on June 20. He continued to participated in required countable activities from June 23 to July 1.