University of Minnesota football players announced Thursday they are boycotting all football practice and team activities _ even their Dec. 27 bowl game if need be _ in protest of 10 teammates being suspended from the team earlier this week in the latest fallout of a September sexual assault investigation.
The Gophers had a players-only meeting Thursday afternoon and later brought in head coach Tracy Claeys to inform him of their plans, sources told the Star Tribune.
What appeared to be every Gophers player appeared Thursday at a university athletic building to deliver a united announcement, saying they are immediately boycotting team activities and are willing to boycott the Holiday Bowl if their teammates are not reinstated. That would require reversing Tuesday's decision to suspend the 10 players from the team.
Quarterback Mitch Leidner, receiver Drew Wolitarsky and tight end Duke Anyanwu stood in front of the full team.
"As a player, it became more than a game for me," Wolitarsky said. "And I know it did, as you can see, for the whole team. It's about the livelihood of these kids, after football. Because that's why we came here; we came here to get a degree. We come here to make a life for ourselves, and these kids' reputations have been ruined."
The players on Thursday night called out university President Eric Kaler and athletic director Mark Coyle, saying the school leaders supported and delivered unjust punishment.
When asked if the players were worried about losing scholarships for their boycott, 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."
Half of the 10 players suspended also face expulsion from school, the players' attorney, Lee Hutton, said Wednesday night.
Hutton said the university's Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action office recommended expulsion for Ray Buford, Carlton Djam, KiAnte Hardin, Dior Johnson and Tamarion Johnson; one-year suspensions from the university for Seth Green, Kobe McCrary, Mark Williams and Antoine Winfield Jr., and probation for Antonio Shenault.
The school discipline comes weeks after a criminal investigation resulted in no arrests or charges.
Some of the players were directly accused by a female student in the alleged sexual assault in the early morning hours after the Gophers' first game on Sept. 2; the involvement of others is unclear. The woman's claims have been 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."
Hutton, who is representing all 10 players, said he is working on their appeals.
The Gophers are scheduled to play Washington State on Dec. 27 in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego.
