Northwestern interim football coach says team will be ready for season despite hazing scandal
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (CBS) – Northwestern University's interim football coach and athletic director spoke for the first time on Wednesday at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis about the hazing scandal surrounding the program.
The scandal exposed earlier this month has led to numerous lawsuits. Until Wednesday, university leaders have stayed away from the cameras. CBS 2's Charlie De Mar was at Lucas Oil Stadium, where he heard from Northwestern leaders.
Up until Wednesday, no one within the Northwestern athletic department had spoken publicly despite CBS 2's repeated requests for interviews. Interim head coach David Braun finally addressed the hazing allegations, but noticeably absent were Northwestern players.
"Seeing our team the last two weeks, I firmly believe that this group has a demeanor, has a brotherhood, and has a resolve that there are reasons to be very excited about the story that they will write this fall," Braun said.
Northwestern's new interim head coach was optimistic despite the serious hazing allegations swirling around the program.
"This has obviously been a very difficult time for our team, our staff, our current and former players impacted, our alumni, the university, and the broader Northwestern community," he said.
Still, Braun admitted he's "never been this far out of my comfort zone."
"Never could I have imagined, nor did I desire to become a head coach under these types of circumstances," he added.
Most Big Ten teams send players to media day, but three Northwestern players decided to skip the event amid the scandal just a day before they were scheduled to speak.
For the first time, Derrick Gragg, Northwestern's athletic director, also spoke out.
"The brand has taken on a large amount of challenges, and that's the university, the athletic department, some of us personally," Gragg said in an interview with the Big Ten Network. "We wanted to focus in on the inside of the house, and now we are able to get out some messages."
Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti was asked if he had any conversations with Braun or Gragg about the upcoming season and player safety.
"I spoke with Derrick a few times, and I think our focus has been on moving forward, on what they're doing, keeping me informed about the investigations and what they're doing on campus," Petitti said.
Petitti said the conference is not conducting an investigation, but the Big Ten will wait until the university's investigation to end before taking any action.
Due to the scandal at Northwestern, hazing was a major talking point as other Big Ten coaches were asked to weigh in.
"As a head coach, there was definitely some conversations that I had every step along the way with the administration, with ... [our] Illini Council," said Illinois coach Bret Bielema. "And those guys are pretty upfront and honest. If they have anything that concerns them, anything that doesn't make them feel good, and like I said, the biggest sign we have in our program is the fewest guys leaving our program in college football."
"We do have an anti-hazing policy at our university and on our football team and our players know that," said Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker. "That will be one of the topics that we cover when we report to camp next Wednesday."
Despite the questions, Braun said his team in Evanston won't be deterred.
"Let me be clear, this football team will be ready to go," he said.
Several former players have come forward with allegations. Others have filed lawsuits detailing hazing within the program, including sexual abuse. New lawsuits accuse some assistant coaches, who are still with the team, of witnessing the forced acts. Pat Fitzgerald was fired as head coach earlier this month, but he claimed to have no knowledge of hazing within his locker room.
Gragg was also at Big Ten Media Days and spoke to the Big Ten Network, but he did not make himself available to reporters and has no plans to do so in the near future.
Practice for the Northwestern football team beings next week.