The Wildcats were missing a presence at the Big Ten’s annual football kickoff. Interim coach David Braun had to fend off questions about what happened and possible solutions all by himself.
“I won’t speak to current allegations; I fully believe our university is going through a process and can speak to the facts,” he said, making his first public comments since Pat Fitzgerald’s firing on July 10. “What I can speak to is how proud I am of the way our team has come together with all this stuff swirling around, and there’s absolute resolve and confidence from the leadership within our team.
Braun won two national championships as the North Dakota State defensive coordinator before joining Fitzgerald’s staff earlier this year. He did not say whether he would make any staff changes when asked directly about coaches alleged to have witnessed or been involved in the misconduct.The first seven coaches, some of their players and even new Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti were peppered with questions about hazing and whether it can be better policed.
Braun spent the first 10 minutes of his 15-minute window delivering an opening statement by himself. Linebacker Bryce Gallagher, defensive back Rod Heard II and receiver Bryce Kirtz, who grew up in the Indianapolis suburbs, announced their decision in a statement Tuesday, making Northwestern the only one of the 14 Big Ten schools without a player in attendance in the same stadium where the Wildcats fought for a conference title in 2020.
“After talking with our parents, our teammates and coach Braun we have made the decision not to attend Big Ten Media Day,” they wrote. “This was very difficult because we were excited about the opportunity to participate in this great Big Ten tradition, and to talk about the game we love and the season ahead.
“Our No. 1 priority moving forward is ensuring that the student-athlete experience that the young men we coach and mentor is just that — the ultimate student-athlete experience,” he said. “We have an opportunity to firmly commit to the values of Northwestern University and to firmly commit to what this program has been built on.”
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