This is not a good look for Washington State or first-year head football coach Nick Rolovich. At all.
Sunday afternoon, players from across the Pac-12 confirmed that they will sit out the 2020 season en masse unless a laundry list of concerns are addressed. Among those are fighting racial injustice, ensuring safety amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, obtain long-term health insurance and secure economic rights and fair compensation. Most of those are highly reasonable and probably should’ve been done years before. Seeking 50 percent of a conference’s revenue be directed to student-athletes? That’s highly, highly, highly unlikely, if for nothing more than the impact it would have on non-revenue sports, which are already on the chopping block because of the pandemic.
Still, the players have fired the first shoot in what’s expected to be a series of volleys between the two sides. And, according to some of the parents of Washington State football players, the Wazzu program has fired back as well. By, essentially, firing those who have come out in support of the movement.
Among those is wide receiver Kassidy Woods (pictured), who was told he is technically still on scholarship.
Am told multiple other #WSU players who shared the "#WeAreUnited" graphics have been released from the team, as well. https://t.co/OA0Hg3aroo
— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) August 2, 2020
I just got off the phone with John Woods, the father of #WSU WR Kassidy Woods, who says Kassidy was told to clean out his locker tomorrow. Woods is technically still on scholarship, but was "released" from the team yesterday, his father says.
— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) August 2, 2020
The mother of #WSU WR Kassidy Woods claims multiple players were cut from the football team, including Woods. https://t.co/8P9Kv1eFZ6
— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) August 2, 2020
During our phone call, Kassidy Woods' father, John, paraphrased what #WSU coach Nick Rolovich told his son. pic.twitter.com/thwp2ZRUQt
— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) August 2, 2020
Thus far, the Washington State football program has not addressed the reported development. Or even attempted to clarify the flurry of allegations that are painting the Cougars in a very negative light. A light that future recruits are certain to notice.
The silence, as they say, is deafening. And, with every minute that goes by, it makes it worse and worse for the university.
And, if the program is indeed not allowing players who opt out of the season to participate in practice or any other team activities — a very reasonable stance if they are opting out over safety concerns — they need to state that. Especially if they are going to remain on scholarship after opting out.