Gov. Mark Dayton called the University of Minnesota's latest athletics controversy _ the alleged sexual assault by football players and the team's boycott of all team activities _ "a bad black eye" for Minnesota.
Dayton told reporters Friday that while he doesn't have all the facts, he has told university President Eric Kaler he wants Kaler to meet with the players, who are refusing to play and putting the school's commitment to the Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl at risk.
Kaler released a statement Friday evening saying the players "thus far declined" his offer to meet.
Friday morning, Gophers players met with a lawyer representing the 10 players who have been suspended from the team in downtown Minneapolis, plotting their strategy on how to move forward in their boycott. Later, sources told the Star Tribune the players were planning an afternoon meeting with some university Regents for potential mediation. The sources said a meeting with Kaler and athletic director Mark Coyle could follow.
Kaler wrote that he hopes eligible players will take advantage of the reward of going to the Holiday Bowl but added that the university "will not change our values or our code of conduct for the sake of a bowl game."
He added he hopes to meet with the players before making a decision on whether the Gophers are going to play in the bowl game, but acknowledged the decision on whether to play must happen soon "out of respect to the Holiday Bowl Committee."
The full-team's boycott Thursday evening followed Tuesday's suspension of 10 players by university leaders in the latest fallout of a September sexual assault allegation by a U student.
Shortly after noon Friday, quarterback Mitch Leidner and several other seniors emerged from the Minneapolis office of attorney Lee Hutton, with stoic looks on their faces.
Asked for comment, senior linebacker Nick Rallis said, "Not right now. We appreciate you guys standing behind us. We said what we needed to say (Thursday)."
Other players besides Leidner and Rallis who attended the meeting included senior linebacker Jack Lynn, senior offensive lineman Jonah Pirsig, junior defensive end Gaelin Elmore and senior tight end Brandon Lingen.
Most of the players were wearing Gophers colors, but Lingen, who has a foot injury, was wearing a suit as he limped along in a walking boot.
"When the time is right, I'm sure we'll have more to say," Rallis said.
Dayton said it's important for the university and the team to "defuse" the situation, and that a boycott of the bowl game would be problematic for the university and the state of Minnesota.
"It would be very, very serious, and I hope the players recognize that, for their sake and the sake of the program," he said. "Once again, it's how we make national news. We have so many successes in Minnesota that don't get national attention and these are the things that do ... it's a bad black eye and it will get worse if it does not quickly resolve."
After refusing to practice Thursday, Gophers players donned their maroon game jerseys and announced together from the campus football complex field that they are boycotting all football activities _ even their Dec. 27 bowl game, if need be _ in protest of the 10 suspensions.
Those 10 suspended players stood directly behind seniors Drew Wolitarsky, Leidner and Duke Anyanwu _ with the rest of the team arrayed behind them in support _ as Wolitarsky read from a typed, two-page statement, laying out the players' demands.
"The boycott will remain in effect until due process is followed and the suspensions for all 10 players involved are lifted," Wolitarsky said.
Wolitarsky said the players want an apology from Kaler and Coyle, adding that the players "demand that these leaders are held accountable for their actions."
Asked if the players were worried about losing their scholarships, Wolitarsky responded: "We're all in this together. What are they going to do, pull 120 guys off the team? They won't have a team if that's the case."
Kaler and Coyle issued a joint statement later Thursday that acceded to none of the players' demands but said, "We want to continue an open dialogue with our players and will work to do that over the coming days."
Gophers coach Tracy Claeys expressed support for his players, tweeting, "Have never been more proud of our kids. I respect their rights & support their effort to make a better world!"
On Tuesday, the school suspended 10 players indefinitely from all team activities, with those players facing new sanctions from the university's office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA).
According to the players' attorney, the EOAA recommended expulsion for Ray Buford, Carlton Djam, KiAnte Hardin, Dior Johnson and Tamarion Johnson. The attorney said the EOAA recommended one-year suspensions from the university for Seth Green, Kobe McCrary, Mark Williams and Antoine Winfield Jr., and probation for Antonio Shenault.
Some of the players were directly accused by a female student in an alleged sexual assault in the early morning hours after the Gophers' Sept. 1 season opener; the involvement of others is unclear. The school discipline comes weeks after a criminal investigation resulted in no arrests or charges. The woman's allegations were documented through police reports and court testimony, and ultimately led to the EOAA investigation.
Wolitarsky said the team wants the players reinstated because they were punished "for things they didn't do." Attorney Lee Hutton, who is representing all 10 players, said he is working on their appeals.
Wolitarsky said the players were incensed after a brief meeting with Coyle following Wednesday's practice.
"We got no answers to our questions about why these kids were suspended when they were just found (innocent) by the law," Wolitarsky said. "He basically told us that he didn't have answers, and that led us to believe that this is kind of unjust. He has the power to reverse this, and he won't."
Instead of going through their scheduled Thursday afternoon practice, the players called a meeting and invited just one staff member _ linebackers coach Mike Sherels, sources told the Star Tribune.
"All these kids' reputations are destroyed," Leidner said. "Their names are destroyed, and it's extremely difficult to get back, and it's very unfair for them and that's why we're sticking together through this thing."
With that unified voice, the players then invited Claeys to join their meeting. Sources told the Star Tribune that the head coach expressed reservations about the boycott at first but relented by meeting's end.
Claeys declined further comment through a team spokesman. The Gophers were scheduled to hold five practices over the next seven days before flying to San Diego on Dec. 23, four days before the Holiday Bowl game against Washington State.
"This decision for the players to take this stance is not easy, but important to preserve the integrity of our program and ourselves," Wolitarsky said. "We note that the Holiday Bowl Committee, Washington State and the fans are affected by that decision. To that end, we respectfully request that the Holiday Bowl Committee be patient during this time, while Mark Coyle considers his decision to suspend. We also want to request that Mark Coyle make his decision with due haste."
A source confirmed that Northern Illinois is next in line for a bowl game and a candidate to replace Minnesota in the Holiday Bowl. The decision on whether Minnesota will play likely needs to be made in the next few days, as a potential replacement team would need time to prepare.
Mark Neville, the bowl's executive director, issued a statement that said, "We are continuing to prepare for the (bowl game), however, we are aware of the situation at the University of Minnesota and are monitoring it closely."
Washington State athletics director Bill Moos said, through a spokesman, that he would prefer not to discuss the boycott.
"We are focusing on ourselves and preparing for the 2016 National Funding Holiday Bowl on Dec. 27," Moos added.
