WSU, Pac 12 to review claims coach abused players
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) - Washington State President Elson Floyd has called for a review of claims of abusive behavior by coach Mike Leach and his staff toward players by wide receiver Marquess Wilson.
The decision by Floyd comes one day after Wilson quit the team. Wilson says he left the program because of the actions of Leach and his staff. Wilson says the new staff has "preferred to belittle, intimidate and humiliate us," and that included physical abuse.
Floyd said in a statement Sunday morning that after consultation with Athletic Director Bill Moos, he asked the athletic department to report findings and conclusions as soon as possible. Floyd says reviews from both the Pac-12 and the athletic department "should get to the bottom of the matter."
Leach is in his first season as Washington State coach after spending two years out of coaching. He spent 10 seasons as Texas Tech coach before being fired in 2009 after claims of mistreatment from a player.
After Washington State's 44-36 loss to UCLA on Saturday night, Leach declined to address Wilson's claims.
"I'm not going to talk about anyone that isn't here," he said
In a statement issued Saturday night, Moos said it was unfortunate that Wilson decided to quit.
"I believe I join many Cougars in wishing Marquess well in his future endeavors," Moos said. "We have procedures in place that were developed to monitor student-athlete welfare in all of our sports programs. "We will continue to follow those procedures and modify them if needed."
Wilson, a junior, set school single-season records last year with 82 receptions and 1,388 yards receiving. This season, he leads the team with 52 receptions for 813 yards.
The decision by Floyd comes one day after Wilson quit the team. Wilson says he left the program because of the actions of Leach and his staff. Wilson says the new staff has "preferred to belittle, intimidate and humiliate us," and that included physical abuse.
Floyd said in a statement Sunday morning that after consultation with Athletic Director Bill Moos, he asked the athletic department to report findings and conclusions as soon as possible. Floyd says reviews from both the Pac-12 and the athletic department "should get to the bottom of the matter."
Leach is in his first season as Washington State coach after spending two years out of coaching. He spent 10 seasons as Texas Tech coach before being fired in 2009 after claims of mistreatment from a player.
After Washington State's 44-36 loss to UCLA on Saturday night, Leach declined to address Wilson's claims.
"I'm not going to talk about anyone that isn't here," he said
In a statement issued Saturday night, Moos said it was unfortunate that Wilson decided to quit.
"I believe I join many Cougars in wishing Marquess well in his future endeavors," Moos said. "We have procedures in place that were developed to monitor student-athlete welfare in all of our sports programs. "We will continue to follow those procedures and modify them if needed."
Wilson, a junior, set school single-season records last year with 82 receptions and 1,388 yards receiving. This season, he leads the team with 52 receptions for 813 yards.
I agree that an investigation is in order. The fact the Cougars' leading receiver quit & gave his reason as abuse should be a red flag in anyone's book. I can say from the mentality Leach has exhibited so far as head coach, I wouldn't want to play for him. He doesn't have a clue on how to motivate players by any means other than public ridicule [and if he does that in public, who knows how far it goes behind closed doors]. A real coach accepts that he has not done HIS job when his team loses. Seems Leach can only push the blame on the players, when all is said & done. We all get that college football is not a walk in the park, but discipline needs to be coupled with restraint. Maybe Leach really thinks his pirate mentality will get the job done. So far, no one's walking his plank--they're just leaving his ship.
@speaktruth He is trying to change a culture that is just show up and play around for 60 minutes and hope you win. When these kids take plays off it hurts the system and I honestly believe they have never been called out on it by the previous coaches. So he may seem a little overboard on calling people out but he has to because of how coddled they are.
Leach is known for his post game rants, and WSU accepted that, he is just weeding out the crybaby's. If anyone saw what really goes on in division 1 athletics when it comes to motivating you'd all be disgusted.Â
When the going gets tough.....the weak go home.
Definitely want to hear Leach's side of this before passing judgement. I know the allegations at Texas Tech were, at best, a severe stretch and magnifying of events. Yes, he had the kid go SIT in a shed- because the kid had just had a CONCUSSION and guess what one of the things you try and do with a concussion is? Get them out of light as much as you can.
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Not to mention the kid's dad was the reporter that initially broke the story and the dad was upset because his kid was removed from the starting team for discipline issues (showing up late to practice constantly, runnning half-assed routes, bad grades, starter of a lot of fights within the squad) Hmmmmmmmmm-mmmmmmm, nothing suspicious there at all that the dad broke the story, nope.
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Texas Tech bought Leach out because they fear a lawsuit, simple as.
Beat the horse some more.
I believe the kid. I also don't understand why WSU fans are immeadetly dismissing the kid and siding with Leach. It's like you all think he's a football god.
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2-7 guys. Leach isn't a god.
 @sirgavin7 He quit in the spring only to be talked into staying.  That was before fall camp, before the losing. This was a long time coming.
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Also, is overall record disagrees with you.
@sirgavin7 Because of the evidence against Wilson. The kid has been slacking all year when he isnt the focus of the play. Why would we believe he was abused when he hasn't been doing his job all year?
@sirgavin7 I wont stand up and say Leach is great or a god... but you do realize, most of that team he has, are guys he didnt get to recruit and he has a mess to clean up there... if you didnt realize from past few years... wsu has not been good... Also look at his record while at Texas Tech going to 10 straight bowl games... cant say he is a bad coach.
Wilson is a lil B****... suck it up or you wont ever make it any further then college football on a losing team... (If anything is proven otherwie against the coach, i will eat my words, but until then... boo hoo)
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Spot on @commonhuskyfan!Â
WSU absolutely has to have an outside entity look into these allegations. You can not just give the coach the benefit of the doubt and do nothing but pay Wilson lip service. Has college athletics learned nothing from Penn State?? Ignore abuse allegations at your own peril President Floyd.
 @petwlkr:Â
Did you even read the article? They are invetigating the ALLEGATIONS - nothing that Wilson has claimed has been actually proven at this point. Why not let them complete the investigation before making accusations?
 @LocalLady Yes I did read it and I commented on it in it's original form. WSU initially wanted to disregard the accusations with nothing more than the Coaches denial. My comment was to urge them to rethink that strategy.
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After the Penn State incident people are going to be hypersensitive about any abuse allegation. It's best to immediately throw open the doors to an external investigation and avoid any appearance of a cover-up. I have no opinion on whether or not the abuse took place; only on the urgency for WSU to address this thing out in the open so noone can accuse them of anything improper.
He was fired as head coach for mistreating players, he is given a second chance and now the same aligations have surfaced? I don't care how good of a coach he is or claims to be it is obvious that he has problems much deeper than just a losing football program. Its time someone address him on a professional level and informs him that he either seeks professional treatment or he will be fired again.
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@seattleemt The Tech allegations were proven to be false and Wilson is trying to play on them to justify his quitting the team. Wilson is trying to save face for the draft.
@seattleemt I am  seeking some "profession treatment" right now. My doector called me Friday and told me my geevuhdahm levels are way low right now.
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 @seattleemt Maybe Wilson is using the coaches past against him.  I will wait until they investigate and find out what happened.  It is just as possible that Wilson quit because he didn't like the new coaches direction, just as much that the coach might be at fault,
 @KRM66  @seattleemt I will bet that is simply is that Wilson did not like the coach. Considering he has left the program (actually about a week ago now), and is a gifted athlete. Have not heard a single peep of where he might be going to finish his college career. Chances are because no one wants to have a SLACKER on the team.He is using this simply because of Leach's past. He REALLY misses Wulff because all Wulff did was cater to this little boy.
So Wilson didn't like the new coaching staff, and was not given special treatment, so he left.. Â His choice. Â I guess he doesn't have half the heart that Rudy had. Â
 @KRM66 Maybe Wilson is using the coaches past against him. I'll wait until they investigate and find out what happened.
Dey bewiddled me and made me feew bad abowt my pwaying.
BWAAAAÂ BWAAAAAAAAAA....change my diaper.
College football is a farce anyhow.
These "student athletes" are "paid" with free tuition, tutoring, etc.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
The star players are coddled and pampered little perfumed princes and why wouldn't they be ?
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
It's about time that a coach came in and gave those pampered idiots a swift kick in the butt. A culture of losing has been prevalent in the WSU football program ever since Price left, and somebody needs to turn it around. It's time that the coaches stop trying to be buddy buddy with the players. If the players have accepted losing when they're in college, what kind of human beings are they going to be when they get out?