Patterson: Ole Miss 'plotted' to keep me blind to scandal
In his quest to obtain immediate eligibility, Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson wrote a nine-page letter to the NCAA alleging Ole Miss misled him and other Rebels about its recruiting scandal.
Patterson's letter, viewed with permission by CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd, claims Ole Miss "plotted" to keep the former five-star prospect and other 2016 recruits in the dark about the magnitude of the allegations facing the program.
Patterson transferred to Michigan after two seasons in the SEC, but the NCAA is in the process of determining whether he must sit out a season or can play right away on the grounds he signed with Ole Miss under false pretenses.
In the document, Patterson suggested former Rebels head coach Hugh Freeze and other team officials worked to discredit media reports about the potential oncoming sanctions. Patterson noted he was told - "unquestionably" falsely - that the recruiting infractions stemmed from the previous coaching regime.
The 21-year-old revealed he began considering a transfer in mid-October of last year. His cemented his decision at the beginning of December, when the NCAA banned Ole Miss from bowl season for the 2018 campaign, after the Rebels already self-imposed a 2017 postseason exile.
"I knew (then) I'd made the right decision to leave Ole Miss," he wrote.
The Shreveport, La., native described his Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh as "a trustworthy, high-caliber coach" possessing "values, integrity, and leadership qualities."
He added Freeze "wasn't the trustworthy, straight-laced role model that he claimed to be."
Patterson threw for 3,139 yards with 23 touchdowns and 12 interceptions over his two years as a Rebel.