The school that fired a men’s basketball coach just earlier this year due to crossing a line with his players is once again in familiar territory. This time it comes on the football field.
Rutgers defensive coordinator Dave Cohen has been accused of abusive language and threats to defensive back Jevon Tyree. Tyree left the team in the spring after one incident apparently crossed the line for the 19-year-old. According to a report by NJ.com, Tyree and his family are pursuing legal action against Cohen, suggesting the assistant coach’s actions and behavior was spread to other coaches and resulted in Tyree’s position on the team dropping and eventually leading to his exclusion from team meetings.
“I really think disciplinary action should happen, almost to the point where (Cohen) should get fired. I really do,” Mark Tyree, Jevon’s father, said to NJ.com. “That’s how bad it is, especially for the damage he’s done to Jevon.”
Tyree has not appeared on the team’s two-deep depth chart this season. He has appeared in just one game this season, a week two game against Norfolk State. Tyree was a three-star recruit from New Jersey according to Rivals, choosing Rutgers over offers from Penn State, Iowa, Maryland, Georgia Tech and more.
Tyree claims Cohen once threatened to head-butt him during a study session.
“He definitely said some things that people were shocked by,” Tyree said. “They were wondering why I didn’t hit him in his face. Players put themselves in my shoes and they were like, ‘Tyree, if that was me, I would have went off.’ I’m not that type of person. I’m not going to do something crazy.”
Given the recent bullying episodes seen with the Rutgers basketball team and more recently with the Miami Dolphins, this story will be another one to keep an eye on.
Photo: Rutgers Athletics