The Big 12 saw one of its top coaches call out another program for tampering with his players. But 12 months later, the situation has changed. The conference’s commissioner has now called for an NCAA reform that would make the tampering rules more flexible for college football programs.

Per Yahoo Sports’ Ross Delenger, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said the NCAA is reforming its tampering rules. And a key part of the reforms could allow contract negotiations to begin between programs and players before the transfer portal opens.

In the past, some programs have called out others for contacting their players before the transfer portal. One such case involved Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders calling out the Virginia Cavaliers for tampering with his players and offering them money.

“Carter got offered a bag… What’s the school that offered you the bag? Virginia… Virginia, you’ve got to stop,” Sanders said in a video via Well Off Media. “I’ll let you have one. I ain’t say nothing about it. Come on, now. Come on. We let you have one. I ain’t say nothing about.”

The players involved were defensive back Carter Stoutmire and rusher Isaiah Augustave. Per AthlonSports, Augustave balked at the $500,000 NIL deal he received from Virginia and decommitted from Colorado. However, the deal fell through because he was unable to meet the academic requirements. Augustave eventually transferred to the South Carolina Gamecocks after reopening his commitment.

On the other hand, Stoutmire was unflinching. The defensive back has a deeper connection with Coach Prime and remained loyal, regardless. He was not just a part of Sanders’ first recruiting class; he is also the son of Coach Prime’s former Dallas Cowboys teammate Omar Stoutmire.

With the new amendment proposed by Yomark, there would be more such cases, as contract negotiations would now be permitted between parties.