Aug 21, 2015

  • Marker SchlabachESPN Senior Writer

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    • Senior college football writer
    • Author of seven books on higher football
    • Graduate of the University of Georgia

Baylor motorcoach Art Briles said in a statement Fri that onetime Boise Country omnibus Chris Petersen recommended defensive terminate Sam Ukwuachu to the Bears equally a potential transfer student but made no mention of the histrion'south by, which contradicts what Petersen said of their conversation earlier in the twenty-four hours.

The finger pointing between two of college football's nearly successful coaches continued throughout the solar day Friday, as both men tried to distance themselves from Ukwuachu, who was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years' probation Friday, a twenty-four hours after he was convicted of sexually assaulting an ex-Baylor soccer player in 2013.

"I was contacted past Motorbus Petersen at Boise State in spring 2013 and he told me he had a player from Texas who needed to get closer to domicile and that he thought our program would be a good spot for him," Briles said in a statement released by Baylor. "I know and respect Autobus Petersen and he would never recommend a educatee-athlete to Baylor that he didn't believe in. In our discussion, he did not disclose that there had been violence toward women [by Ukwuachu], just he did tell me of a rocky relationship with his girlfriend which contributed to his low. The only disciplinary action I was aware of were squad-related issues, insubordination of coaches and missing practice."

Briles said he also spoke with Tony Heath, Ukwuachu's high schoolhouse coach, "who gave u.s.a. a smashing recommendation."

Briles' comments differed from how Peterson described their communication about Ukwuachu earlier Friday.

In a statement first given to ESPN.com, Petersen said he initiated a telephone call with Briles later Ukwuachu was dismissed from Boise Land's team. Petersen was the Broncos' coach from 2006 to 2013 and is about to brainstorm his second season at Washington.

"After Sam Ukwuachu was dismissed from the Boise Country football plan and expressed an interest in transferring to Baylor, I initiated a call with coach Fine art Briles," Petersen said in the statement. "In that conversation, I thoroughly apprised Coach Briles of the circumstances surrounding Sam'southward disciplinary record and dismissal."

Ukwuachu had faced up to xx years in prison afterward he was bedevilled Thursday of the sexual assail.

The woman, who has since transferred, testified that Ukwuachu assaulted her at his apartment and that she yelled "no" and screamed during the assail, co-ordinate to reports. She too testified that Ukwuachu told her, "This is not rape," and asked her whether she was going to call the law.

During the trial, a old girlfriend at Boise State too testified that Ukwuachu punched her in the head several times, choked her, physically restrained her from leaving and had a reputation for having a tearing temper.

Ukwuachu, who was dismissed from Boise State in May 2013, denied those allegations.

Before Friday, when asked specifically whether Boise State had informed Baylor of Ukwuachu'south disciplinary record, Briles was emphatic in his deprival.

"No. No. That'due south not true," said Briles, who spoke with reporters for four minutes before Baylor expert Fri morn. "Lord, no. No, in that location's no truth. Find out who informed us and talk to them, please."

Boise Country'south decision to deny a waiver that would accept allowed Ukwuachu to play in 2013 was not a ruby flag, Briles said, because schools rarely grant permission for immediate eligibility during typical transfer processes. Ukwuachu was ineligible to play for Baylor in the fall of 2013 because of NCAA transfer rules and suspended for the 2014 season, although the school never gave a reason for the suspension.

Baylor officials released a re-create of its transfer information asking Friday, which was completed past Boise Land director of compliance Jenny Bellomy. On the course, Bellomy indicated that Ukwauachu hadn't been "suspended or disqualified" from Boise State because of disciplinary issues and indicated he would take been eligible to return to the Broncos.

Briles called Ukwuachu's conviction "unfortunate for everybody concerned," and he reiterated that Ukwuachu had been taken off the roster before he always played or practiced with the team.

"Our timeline was followed past what the standards were here," Briles told reporters. "When the incident happened, he'southward off the roster. Never played a downward for us. So information technology's a very unfortunate situation for all concerned. That's all I've got to say about it."

Baylor initially investigated the sexual assault merely determined in that location was non enough testify to go along and was going to let Ukwuachu to play before the commune attorney indicted him, according to the Waco Tribune. The schoolhouse also was prepared to let Ukwuachu return to the squad if he had been institute not guilty, his chaser told the Tribune earlier the trial.

Following Ukwuachu's conviction Friday, Baylor said it would conduct a "comprehensive internal inquiry into the circumstances associated with the example [and] the comport of the offices involved.''

Data from ESPN.com's Max Olson and The Associated Press was used in this report.