Whitey23
Twitter Wizard
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 13,006
- Like
- 16,042
Rutgers football player claims defensive coordinator Dave Cohen bullied and verbally abused him
Seven months after men’s basketball coach Mike Rice was fired for bullying his players -- leading to a national scandal, a housecleaning in the athletic department and public proclamations from school officials to halt any abuse of its student-athletes -- Rutgers is protecting another bullying coach, according to a former football player and his parents.
Defensive back Jevon Tyree and his parents, Mark and Clarice, have sought disciplinary action against defensive coordinator Dave Cohen, who during a spring study hall session, got in Tyree’s face, called him a “” and a “bitch” and threatened to head-butt him, the Tyrees told NJ.com.
The incident – which Jevon Tyree said occurred in April -- happened in front of approximately 10 teammates and a tutor, Jevon Tyree said, and it led to the 19-year-old’s escalating ostracization, eventually driving him to quit.
Clarice Tyree called it “an outright bullying episode,” and Mark Tyree said the behavior soon “transferred to the other coaches.” Jevon Tyree, a redshirt freshman on scholarship, said that after the frightening incident, his standing on the team plummeted, along with practice repetitions and any shot at playing time. He said there were team meetings from which he was excluded.
------
Mark Tyree said Hermann has stiff-armed him by refusing to grant him a meeting. Hermann, who was hired after former athletic director Tim Pernetti was forced to resign for protecting Rice, was accused by her former players of being a bully while coaching women’s volleyball at the University of Tennessee. A statement signed by 15 players on her 1996 team accused Hermann of “mental cruelty.”
Despite numerous phone calls and an unannounced visit to her office on Thursday, Mark Tyree said he has been unable to get a meeting with Hermann. He said he is considering going to the NCAA, the governing body of collegiate sports, to investigate the matter.
Seven months after men’s basketball coach Mike Rice was fired for bullying his players -- leading to a national scandal, a housecleaning in the athletic department and public proclamations from school officials to halt any abuse of its student-athletes -- Rutgers is protecting another bullying coach, according to a former football player and his parents.
Defensive back Jevon Tyree and his parents, Mark and Clarice, have sought disciplinary action against defensive coordinator Dave Cohen, who during a spring study hall session, got in Tyree’s face, called him a “” and a “bitch” and threatened to head-butt him, the Tyrees told NJ.com.
The incident – which Jevon Tyree said occurred in April -- happened in front of approximately 10 teammates and a tutor, Jevon Tyree said, and it led to the 19-year-old’s escalating ostracization, eventually driving him to quit.
Clarice Tyree called it “an outright bullying episode,” and Mark Tyree said the behavior soon “transferred to the other coaches.” Jevon Tyree, a redshirt freshman on scholarship, said that after the frightening incident, his standing on the team plummeted, along with practice repetitions and any shot at playing time. He said there were team meetings from which he was excluded.
------
Mark Tyree said Hermann has stiff-armed him by refusing to grant him a meeting. Hermann, who was hired after former athletic director Tim Pernetti was forced to resign for protecting Rice, was accused by her former players of being a bully while coaching women’s volleyball at the University of Tennessee. A statement signed by 15 players on her 1996 team accused Hermann of “mental cruelty.”
Despite numerous phone calls and an unannounced visit to her office on Thursday, Mark Tyree said he has been unable to get a meeting with Hermann. He said he is considering going to the NCAA, the governing body of collegiate sports, to investigate the matter.