Iowa Fails To Stifle Coker Rumors
Anyone who has followed the Iowa football program in recent years knows the school’s PR department does an awful job of getting in front of message board speculation and rampant rumors. So when running back Marcus Coker’s Insight Bowl suspension for a university conduct violation entered the wires, fans inevitably began to ponder what the usually sterling rusher could have done to warrant such a punishment.
Sexual assault became an early favorite, but dirt diggers found no legal traces in the police blotter. I reported that academics were responsible, and they still very well could be. But until Jan. 10, when Coker was released from his scholarship and made free to run to greener pastures away from Iowa City, most fans presumed Coker would return for 2012 and beyond. Obviously, that is not the case, and Coker is joining 2011 teammate Mika’il McCall as unfortunate victims of speculation they may or may not deserve.
Whether or not the blame is accurate does not matter. The nature of the accusations surrounding Coker are serious enough that Kirk Ferentz and the entire Iowa athletic department need to address them in order to respect the image of a young man who, although he apparently made a big mistake, they recruited and promised to protect. By allowing the fires of speculation to mold his fate, the Iowa athletic department is doing just the opposite.
Last month, KCJJ reported that Coker was being investigated for a possible sexual assault, and nearly everyone dismissed the accusations with turned up noses. But today, that alleged report became official. The incident reportedly happened before the Minnesota game this past season, and a female allegedly told police that she was a victim of assault at Coker’s residence. Also, the responding officer was dispatched to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for a sexual assault, according to the report. The girl never filed charges, however, and the investigation ended seemingly without incident.
At the men’s basketball game in East Lansing tonight, Gary Barta said Coker was still suspended up to the time of his transfer request, which wasn’t unusual considering football activities are currently non-existent. But still no official telling of why he was suspended and if he would be welcomed back in good standing. All signs pointed to a firm yes, but Coker apparently saw something still waiting for him in Iowa City that he did not like.
He had an interesting Facebook post responding to news of his departure today:
“Welp so much for that. It was a good 2 years iowa..best 2 I could of asked for. Thanks again for the support. I really wish I could tell u guys wats goin on cuz its really ridiculous to b punished for somethin I didnt do. Id like to think [thank] the coaches and athletic staff for everything. Hawk for life.”
So, what to make of all this? It seems odd that Coker would be suspended for an incident that, while highly serious in nature, ended without charges. It is obvious that leaving wasn’t Coker’s choice, and it appears the football coaching staff had their hands tied on this one as well. At first glance, the situation seems awfully preventable. Why wasn’t it? Did something else happen after the alleged assault? Was the assault enough to warrant the suspension? Is Coker leaving from a sense of helplessness at his situation, or trying to escape something more sinister? Who knows. The punishment that may have sent Coker packing wasn’t even passed down by Ferentz — he violated a university policy, which would ultimately make the suspension President Sally Mason’s call — so it is no surprise that Ferentz has yet to comment on the specifics of the matter. It isn’t as if he ever does anyway.
A lot of questions obviously surround Coker’s sudden and shocking departure, and they don’t figure to leave until some sort of truth comes out. It should only be a matter of time. Coker is the sixth running back to leave the Hawkeye program in the last two years, and he seemed to be Iowa’s brightest hope for a reprieve from the attrition. If Coker can’t make it, then who can? Why does running backs coach Lester Erb still have a job? That is worth another blog post entirely. Either way, multiple sources within the local Johnson County legal scene are saying that whatever Coker did is serious enough to necessitate his departure, and that when the news comes out, it should be no surprise why Coker wanted to hightail it out of Iowa City.
Still, the problem doesn’t concern what Coker did or didn’t do. It is that, once again, the University of Iowa football program has failed to slow down the speculation and prevent internet rumors from condemning a young man before the public system of justice can run its course. And if the suspension and departure are not related to legal matters at all, then why not come out and say it, Kirk Ferentz? Gary Barta? Sally Mason? Anyone? It would assuredly help a young man whose name is currently stained with legal speculation. And if the matter is legal in nature? Then why not make that fact public, so that an entire fan base doesn’t believe the Iowa athletic department is kicking kids to the curb for no good reason?
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