Masoli still faces obstacles to be an Ole Miss Rebel

Ole Miss officials, including coach Houston Nutt and athletic director Pete Boone, are investigating Masoli's background, which includes two run-ins with police over the past six months that led to his dismissal from the Oregon team. Masoli has applied to the Ole Miss graduate school to earn a master's degree in parks and recreation management, but he had not yet been accepted as of Thursday afternoon, according to the registrar's office. If accepted, he could play immediately if the NCAA waives a rule requiring one year of in-state residency. David Wells, UM's assistant athletic director for compliance, said he cannot comment on prospective athletes until they are enrolled. Though the Masoli-to-Ole Miss talk has made headlines for nearly a week, it's hardly a done deal. Masoli's attorney, Dan Koenig, has said the quarterback is done with all legal matters in Oregon. But there is still concern that last month's guilty plea to a misdemeanor drug charge may be deemed a violation of the one-year probation Masoli received after his burglary conviction in March, according to The Oregonian of Portland. "There still is the potential that the district attorney could file a probation violation," Koenig told The Oregonian. "We don't know if they see these violations - not crimes - in Springfield as a probation violation." Masoli has taken a beating in the media for his legal problems - including pleading guilty to a second-degree burglary charge in March. He was also cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession and has a juvenile record.To try to spin those issues, the Masoli family has retained the Los Angeles-based firm Sitrick And Company, which bills itself as "one of the top strategic communications firms in the United States."