Everything we know about a messy situation for CSU football

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Colorado State football is all over ESPN this week. Unfortunately, though, it’s not because the Rams are making highlight plays.

Just days after Joyce McConnell launched an investigation into how the football staff has been handling COVID-19 protocols, the Rams made national headlines once again Friday night. This time for allegations of racial insensitivity and verbal abuse. 

In a statement released through a school spokesperson, Joe Parker announced that effective immediately, all football-related activities have been paused indefinitely.

“Today, we learned of some extremely troubling allegations of racism and verbal abuse from CSU’s athletic administration generally and in the football program specifically.

Colorado State University is committed to being an anti-racist university, and we will not tolerate any behavior or climate that goes against that core value. Moreover, CSU Athletics is committed to the health and well-being of student-athletes above all other priorities, and this includes their mental health.  We believe it is our responsibility to make sure that all student-athletes feel welcomed and valued as members of an inclusive athletics community.

I have consulted with President McConnell about these new allegations, which obviously deeply concern her as well.  Effective immediately, and for the best interests of our student-athletes, I am pausing all football-related activities indefinitely.  This includes practices, workouts, and team meetings.  I have also asked President McConnell to expand the independent investigation she announced on Tuesday to include a comprehensive review of our athletic department and football program specifically related to allegations of racism and verbal abuse. While we have been working hard towards playing football this fall, the holistic well-being of our student-athletes is our unequivocal top priority.  We must and will address these allegations before we focus on playing football.”

Not long after the statement was made public, Kevin Lytle of the Coloradoan tweeted out that the publication had recently reached out for comment on allegations of racial insensitivity and verbal abuse from both current and former players. We are still waiting for that article to drop locally but it seems that the national outlets are digging up some skeletons as well.

At 6:54 p.m. (MT) Friday night, Andrea Andelson published a story on the dismissal of Anthoney Hill. Hill, who was a quarterback for the Rams in the 1990’s and later served as the school’s player development coach under Mike Bobo, was terminated from the program about one month after Steve Addazio was hired last December. According to the former Rams assistant, though, he was fired for raising concerns about Addazio. 

Once he received his termination letter, according to Andelson, Hill then allegedly reached out to Joe Parker regarding a variety of concerns about the program. The issues raised to Parker included nepotism under Addazio and a lack of pay for the black coaches on staff.

Hill also allegedly told Parker that he was most concerned with how the AD had allowed CSU Athletics to become an environment where coaches can exhibit toxic masculinity and openly say things that were racially insensitive to black players. Hill claimed that he had witnessed such behavior under Bobo and was worried that a similar culture would be cultivated by the new staff.

On Dec. 19, 2019, Parker released a statement announcing the hiring of Addazio. In that statement, Parker applauded Addazio for his commitment to the holistic development of student-athletes and for crafting cultures where students can thrive on and off the field.

In reference to this, Hill reportedly wrote the following to Parker:

“Also, bringing in a new head football coach who tells the graduate assistants within days of knowing them that he ‘doesn’t give a f— about their feelings’ is contradictory to being ‘committed to the holistic development of student-athletes … and of crafting a culture where students thrive.'”

While one might argue that this is an example of a bitter ex coach trying to get even, considering the athletic department’s most recent history with Larry Eustachy, Hill’s comments should definitely not be taken lightly.

Having said that, it should also be noted that multiple current players have publicly disputed the accusations of racial insensitivity and verbal abuse. Senior associate head coach Brian White also recently posted a statement with the caption “The truth shall set you free”.

At this point, it’s unclear what to expect as far as changes go. But McConnell, at least publicly, is taking this situation very seriously. Since hiring Husch Blackwell, the same law firm that conducted the Iowa probe, McConnell has released a series of stern statements. Most recently, McConnell wrote the following to the CSU community on Friday night:

“I am profoundly disturbed to hear of these new allegations, and I have already expanded the scope of the investigation. Colorado State University is an avowedly anti-racist university and an avowedly anti-racist community.  We will not tolerate a climate that makes any member of this university community feel unwelcome or not valued.  On the contrary, we will expose it and put an end to it immediately.

… My expectation is that everyone will fully cooperate with the investigation. The investigators have already begun conducting interviews, and staff and students who have information that they feel is relevant to their inquiry should feel free to reach out to them. Any attempts to retaliate against, pressure, or intimidate individuals who participate in the investigation will not be tolerated.  Should that occur, I urge anyone aware of such behavior to report that conduct to the investigators or to my office immediately. 

I deeply regret that we are facing this situation on top of all the other challenges we are facing as we work together to prepare for the Fall 2020 semester at CSU. But I remain excited to welcome our students, returning and new, to campus in just a few weeks. I also remain confident that the resilience, compassion, and creativity that defines CSU will sustain us and that we will come through this difficult period stronger than ever.  Thank you all for all that you do every day for CSU, for our students, and for our world.”