(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — One day after Northwestern’s head football coach Pat Fitzgerald was given an unpaid, two-week suspension for alleged hazing incidents, more details about the hazing have been reported by the school's newspaper.
On Friday, Northwestern announced Fitzgerald’s suspension after a monthslong investigation into hazing allegations within the football program. In a summary released by the university, officials wrote that evidence uncovered in the investigation “largely supported” the hazing claims made following the 2022 season.
The Daily Northwestern reported that a former player — who remained anonymous — told the paper that some of the hazing involved forced sexual acts. A second player is said to have confirmed the details.
Authors of the summary said investigators did not discover “sufficient evidence” to prove coaches knew about the hazing. The Daily Northwestern, though, reported that the former player said Fitzgerald “may have known that hazing took place.”
In a statement after the suspension was announced, Fitzgerald said he was “very disappointed” when he heard about the allegations and “was not aware of the alleged incidents.”
The player also told the paper that they reported his experience to university officials in November 2022, which matches up with the timeline provided by the investigators.
According to the report, players were subjected to a hazing ritual dubbed “running,” in which players who made mistakes endured simulations of sexual acts, being sprayed with a powerful hose in the shower, being forced to run football plays while naked, and more. The paper reported that a second player confirmed these allegations.
The hazing experiences followed players away from the football field, the Daily Northwestern reported, and sometimes affected their sleeping and eating schedules.
The paper reported that his goal in speaking to the paper was to shed light on what he described as “absolutely inhumane traditions” that take place in the school’s football program.
Related
Related
Listen to our new podcast Looped In: Chicago
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!