Baylor Football

Former Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw said in a deposition that the university orchestrated "an elaborate plan that essentially scapegoated black football players and the football program for being responsible for what was a decades-long, university-wide sexual assault scandal," according to Phillip Ericksen of the Waco-Tribune Herald. 

McCaw, who resigned from the school in May 2016 after 13 years as athletic director, did so because he "did not want to be part of some Enron cover-up scheme," per a motion filed in the Waco U.S. District Court on Wednesday.

The deposition came as part of a Title IX lawsuit filed against Baylor by 10 women who said they were sexually assaulted while attending the university.

McCaw claimed the school's regents released a "phony" 13-page report of the university's findings after an investigation into sexual assault at the school, adding that Baylor regent J. Cary Gray was tasked with writing a "false" and "misleading finding of fact skewed to make the football program look bad and cover up the campus-wide failings."

Baylor responded to McCaw's statements, per David Smoak of ESPN:

"The plaintiffs' counsel have grossly mischaracterized facts to promote a misleading narrative in an effort to deflect attention away from the actual facts of the case pending before the court. Baylor has compiled and will continue to simply with all court rules in this case. We will maintain our diligent efforts to keep discovery focused on this specific case while steadfastly protecting the privacy of our students and their records that are uninvolved in this matter. As permitted by the court’s rules, Baylor will be filing a written response to the Plaintiffs' motion. Much of the testimony of Mr. McCaw that is selectively quoted in the motion is based on speculation, hearsay and even media reports."

The university ultimately fired head football coach Art Briles and president Ken Starr amid the scandal, in which it was discovered by Philadelphia law firm Pepper Hamilton that administrators "directly discouraged" women from reporting instances of sexual assault and that the football program failed to "identify and respond to a pattern of sexual violence by a football player," per SI.com.

The Pepper Hamilton report added:

"In certain instances, including reports of a sexual assault by multiple football players, athletics and football personnel affirmatively chose not to report sexual violence and dating violence to an appropriate administrator outside of athletics. In those instances, football coaches or staff met directly with a complainant and/or parent of a complainant and did not report the misconduct."

But McCaw said former Baylor Police Chief Jim Doak discouraged and ignored reports of rape during his time at the school, adding that "a Baylor police dispatcher once put a woman reporting that she had been raped on hold to order himself a meal," according to Ericksen.

McCaw noted that the cover-up was orchestrated to avoid negative PR.

"It’s bad for business... It's bad for Baylor’s brand, bad for admission, bad for tuition revenue," he said. "And obviously you know Baylor is heavily reliant—it does not have a large endowment, so it's heavily reliant on tuition revenue. So if there's a dip in admissions, a dip in tuition revenue, that severely affects the university."

McCaw has claimed he found out about the sexual assault allegations through the media, though a civil suit against the school and the Pepper Hamilton report contradict those statements, per a report from Andy Staples of SI.com in May 2017:

"According to the newest suit, [McCaw] was alerted to the gang rape allegation in 2013, about a year after the incident that prompted it. According to filing by members of Baylor's board of regents in response to a suit filed by one of the staffers fired in the wake of the scandal, the investigation by law firm Pepper Hamilton found that McCaw claimed to Baylor’s Title IX coordinator in 2015 that he hadn’t been alerted to any accusations of gang rapes by football players.

"In that same filing, McCaw also is accused of texting 'That would be great if they kept it quiet' to Briles with regard to a police investigation (which was kept quiet) into a Baylor football player accused of assaulting and threatening a non-athlete in a different case."

Baylor University is reportedly expecting to avoid severe punishment from the NCAA after the governing body of college athletics completes its investigation into the school's sexual-assault scandal.

On Wednesday, Mac Engel of the Star-Telegram reported Baylor officials are expecting the interview process to finish this year with a final resolution in the case by spring of 2019.

"If people are expecting some sort of 'Death Penalty,' I think they are going to be disappointed," a Baylor athletic official told Engel.

In May 2016, Baylor announced widespread leadership changes after reviewing an independent probe by the Law Firm of Pepper Hamilton, which concluded the “student conduct processes were wholly inadequate to consistently provide a prompt and equitable response under Title IX.”

School president Ken Starr, head coach Art Briles and athletic director Ian McCaw all ended up leaving in the wake of the scandal. Starr was removed as president and later stepped down as a professor; Briles had his contract terminated; McCaw resigned and later accepted the AD position at Liberty University.

"We were horrified by the extent of these acts of sexual violence on our campus," Board of Regents chair Richard Willis said. "This investigation revealed the university's mishandling of reports in what should have been a supportive, responsive and caring environment for students. The depth to which these acts occurred shocked and outraged us."

The question for Baylor is whether the NCAA is able to identify whether any specific violations occurred and their severity, per Engel. He noted it's possible the football program won't face any penalty if it's determined the sexual-assault scandal was a "university issue."

Although the NCAA investigation was confirmed by Baylor in June 2017, the organization hasn't publicly commented on it.

Baylor University paid former Bears head football coach Art Briles $15.1 million as part of his 2016 departure following the school's sexual assault scandal.

Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News first reported the payout Friday after reviewing forms Baylor filed to the IRS. Former school president Ken Starr received $4.52 million and former athletic director Ian McCaw was given $761,059 after his resignation.

Briles had eight years left on his contract when he was dismissed by the university. The IRS forms showed he earned around $6.19 million per season, per Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com.

The trio's exit was part of widespread leadership changes at Baylor following the scandal. Board of Regents chair Richard Willis said in the May 2016 announcement the school was "horrified" by findings from an independent review handled by the Law Firm of Pepper Hamilton:

"This investigation revealed the university's mishandling of reports in what should have been a supportive, responsive and caring environment for students. The depth to which these acts occurred shocked and outraged us. Our students and their families deserve more, and we have committed our full attention to improving our processes, establishing accountability and ensuring appropriate actions are taken to support former, current and future students."

Briles, who's remained out of coaching since his dismissal from Baylor, released a statement last March denying an attempt to hide the problem.

"I did not cover up any sexual violence. I had no contact with anyone that claimed to be a victim of sexual or domestic assault. Anyone well-versed in my work as a coach knows that I strove to promote excellence, but never at the sacrifice of safety for anyone," he said. "I did not obstruct justice on campus or off."

He was set to join the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League in August, but the team changed its mind following public backlash.

Starr, who also served as Baylor's chancellor and a professor at its law school, ended all ties with the university in August 2016.

McCaw was hired as the Liberty University athletic director in November 2016.

Baylor University head football coach Matt Rhule confirmed Tuesday two members of the Bears program have been "separated" from the team amid an investigation into allegations of sexual assault.

Rhule told KCEN-TV he couldn't discuss which players were involved or provide information about the allegations.

"I can't get into too many of the details on this specific incident," Rhule said. "I really don't know too many of the details on this specific incident, but I do know things have been handled the right way."

Outside the Lines' Paula Lavigne and Mark Schlabach obtained an incident report filed by two women, who told the Baylor Police Department they were sexually assaulted by four individuals, including the unnamed players, following the Bears' 38-24 loss to Texas Tech on Nov. 11.

Rhule said the university and the football program have implemented all of the recommendations made by the Law Firm of Pepper Hamilton following the school's sexual-assault scandal, which led to widespread leadership changes at Baylor in May 2016. Head football coach Art Briles and athletic director Ian McCaw were among those to exit.

"I feel like the university put those processes in place, and it's our job to carry them out," Rhule told KCEN-TV. "And, from what I've seen, the university has carried them out and everything has been done in a way that it should be done."

The current case is being handled by the McLennan County District Attorney's Office, which has yet to bring the investigation details to a grand jury to determine whether criminal charges should be levied against the two football players and the other suspects, per Lavigne and Schlabach.

KCEN-TV noted it's unclear whether the players will be eligible to rejoin the program once the outcome of the investigation is announced.

Two members of the Baylor Bears football team are being investigated following an alleged sexual assault, Rissa Shaw of KWTX in Waco, Texas, reported Thursday.

According to Shaw, the alleged assault occurred on Nov. 11, 2017, at an off-campus apartment complex and involved members of Baylor's equestrian team. Shaw found an incident labeled as "Alcohol-Minors Consuming/Sexual Assault" in the university crime log system that was reported Nov. 14.

Shaw also reported Baylor's Title IX office is in possession of a video from the alleged assault and that the video may have been posted to social media.

The university hired law firm Pepper Hamilton in September 2015 to investigate its institutional handling of sexual assault allegations. The Baylor board of regents released a findings of fact in May 2016 in which it wrote of discovering "institutional failures at every level of Baylor's administration directly impacted the response to individual cases and the Baylor community as a whole."

The report singled out the football program:

"Pepper found specific failings within both the football program and Athletics Department leadership, including a failure to identify and respond to a pattern of sexual violence by a football player, to take action in response to reports of a sexual assault by multiple football players, and to take action in response to a report of dating violence."

Following the release of the findings of fact, Baylor fired head football coach Art Briles, and athletic director Ian McCaw resigned shortly thereafter. Kenneth Starr left the university in August 2016 after his demotion from president.

Baylor settled a lawsuit with a woman in September 2017 who alleged two Baylor football players sexually assaulted her in April 2013, which was the second such lawsuit it settled that year. 

The Texas Tribune's Emma Platoff wrote in December the university was still subject to five more ongoing investigations, including one by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights that was launched in October 2016.

Baylor made a big splash Tuesday, landing 4-star dual-threat quarterback Gerry Bohanon amid offers from Arkansas, Ole Miss and other Power Five programs.

Our Daily Bears passed along the news after the QB announced his choice on Facebook. 

Gabe Brooks of Scout.com broke down Bohanon's game:

"Bohanon is a big-framed dual-threat quarterback who projects to the FBS and Power Five conference levels. He runs well for a quarterback of his size, and he's a high-production player at the high school level. Bohanon can improve his release point/consistency, but an encouraging aspect of his game is his touch when needing to lead receivers to certain spots. Bohanon is raw, but big and talented, so there's plenty of potential in his game."

The Earle High School product out of Arkansas is considered the No. 229 overall prospect and No. 11 dual-threat QB in the class of 2018, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. Standing 6'3" and weighing 218 pounds, he has the size and upside at quarterback to potentially be a difference-maker in college.

His highlight film from his junior year showcases a player who can dominate a game on the ground or through the air:

He needs polish as a passer, but if he grows that part of his game, he has the opportunity to eventually win the starting job for Baylor.

For the Bears, Bohanon will join a recruiting class currently ranked No. 26 overall by 247Sports. He'll immediately be one of the gems of a solid group made up mostly of 3-star talents, joining fellow 4-star athlete Josh Fleeks as the headliners.

David Garland, former interim president at Baylor University, said in an email exchange with another school administrator some women "make themselves victims."

Per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), "a court filing this week reveals that [Garland] referred to some women who said they had been sexually assaulted as willing victims, amid lingering allegations that the nation's largest Baptist school repeatedly mishandled or stifled claims of sexual and physical abuse."

Per Phillip Ericksen of the Waco Tribune-Herald, Garland also said a radio interview he heard with author Sarah Hepola, who wrote a book examining her alcoholism in college, "added another perspective for me of what is going on in the heads of some women who may seem willingly to make themselves victims."

Jim Dunnam, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Baylor, told Ericksen that Garland's comments reflect "an attitude at the top of the university, which, frankly, anyone who loves Baylor should be disgusted by."

Garland served as Baylor's interim president from June 1, 2016, to May 31, 2017, when Linda Livingstone officially took over. He is on sabbatical and scheduled to return to Baylor as a teacher next August, according to the AP.

The Matt Rhule era as head football coach at Baylor is off to a bad start after the Bears were defeated by Texas-San Antonio, 17-10, on Saturday.

One week after Liberty pulled off a stunning 48-45 upset over Baylor, the Bears were unable to hold serve at McLane Stadium by losing to UTSA.

While the final score makes the game appear close, UTSA statistically dominated Baylor on the field. The Roadrunners outgained Baylor 375-274, had six more first downs (20-14), controlled the ball for 38:52 of game time and went 7-of-16 on third down.

Baylor quarterback Anu Solomon has struggled in his transition to the program after previously playing at Arizona. He went 10-of-26 for 121 yards with one touchdown and one interception in defeat.

UTSA has been a member of Conference USA since 2013. The program has made just one bowl appearance in its first five years as an FBS program, losing to New Mexico in the New Mexico Bowl last December.

After a disappointing 7-6 record in 2016, Baylor is struggling to show any signs of life against what was supposed to be the easy portion of its schedule. Things will only get more difficult from this point forward with next week's game at Duke before opening Big 12 play against Oklahoma on Sept. 23.

Baylor University reportedly settled a lawsuit with an anonymous plaintiff Tuesday who alleged the school's football team promoted a "culture of violence," according to the Associated Press (via KWTX.com). 

Terms of the settlement were not reported. 

The suit, which was filed in January under the name Elizabeth Doe, alleged 31 different Baylor football players committed 52 acts of rape, including five gang rapes, between 2011 and 2014 when Art Briles was the team's head coach, according to the Dallas Morning News' Sarah Mervosh. 

Those numbers deviated significantly from those members of Baylor's Board of Regents previously made public in October when the Wall Street Journal's Brad Reagan reported there were "17 women who reported sexual or domestic assaults involving 19 players, including four alleged gang rapes" dating back to 2011. 

Briles was ultimately fired following an extensive investigation by Philadelphia-based law firm Pepper Hamilton, LLP. 

In its report, the firm stated it found "specific failings within both the football program and Athletics department leadership, including a failure to identify and respond to a pattern of sexual violence by a football player and to a report of dating violence."

Doe's case is one of several that have been settled by the university. 

On Aug. 15, the AP (via the Dallas Morning News) reported Baylor agreed to settle a suit brought by Jasmin Hernandez, who alleged the school ignored her when she reported she had been raped by a football player. 

Baylor University offered a letter of support for former head football coach Art Briles that helped him briefly land a job as offensive coordinator for the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats. 

In the letter dated May 23, 2017 and obtained by Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Baylor general counsel Christopher W. Holmes essentially cleared Briles of any wrongdoing in the sexual-assault scandal involving members of the football team:

"As you speak with others regarding these issues, you can be assured you may make certain statements without fear of contradiction from Baylor based on the information currently known to us.

"In particular, at this time we are unaware of any situation where you personally had contact with anyone who directly reported to you being the victim of sexual assault or that you directly discouraged the victim of an alleged sexual assault from reporting to law enforcement or University officials. Nor are we aware of any situation where you played a student athlete who had been found responsible for sexual assault.

"We wish you the very best in your future endeavors."

Briles was Baylor's head football coach from 2008-15. He was suspended with the intent to be fired by the university in May 2016 following multiple sexual assault allegations made against players on the football team. 

The two sides reached agreement on a contract settlement in June 2016. 

The Tiger-Cats announced Briles' hiring on Monday, but team owner Bob Young released a statement the following day noting they made a "large and serious mistake" and would not be adding the 61-year-old to their coaching staff.