Texas A&M suspends 2 football coaches after ‘failed attempt at humor’ during women’s clinic

Texas A&M suspended two assistant coaches and apologized for offensive remarks made and graphics displayed at a women’s clinic on Wednesday.

Head coach Kevin Sumlin:

“There is absolutely no place in our program or in our University community for inappropriate conduct or degrading comments towards women, or anyone, regardless of intent.

While I was in attendance at the Chalk Talk event this week, I was engaged in meeting participants, taking photographs and signing autographs and I was unaware of the contents of Jim and Jeff’s presentations until this morning. Upon learning of the details, I immediately consulted with Director of Athletics Scott Woodward, and made the decision that both Jim and Jeff will be suspended without pay for two weeks effective immediately and will serve 20 hours of community service. I have addressed the issue with both of them and have their commitment to be better representatives of our program.

On behalf of Aggie Football, I want to apologize for the comments at Chalk Talk and also for my failure to review their individual presentations. I want to thank the almost 700 women who came out this week who not only participated in the program but who supported a worthy cause in the Twin City Mission.”

Assistant coaches Jim Turner and Jeff Banks:

“We want to sincerely apologize to the passionate Aggie fans and to women everywhere for our failed attempt at humor during this week’s Aggie Football Chalk Talk and fundraiser. We clearly understand now that our comments and slides were not appropriate or consistent with the values of our football program or our Department. We must do better, and we will.”

The offensive material in question came in the form of a rewriting of the Aggie War Hymn apparently done to appeal to women and coaching tips worded in sexually suggestive ways, all fed to an audience of hundreds of women.

The comments at the clinic were made public late Thursday when a woman took to Facebook to air her displeasure.

While it’s not clear whether that woman attended the Chalk Talk, Texas beat writer Anwar Richardson corroborated that picture and shared four more purportedly from the event on Twitter on Friday. A commenter at SB Nation’s Texas A&M blog Good Bull Hunting wrote that she attended the event, which she called “full of sexism,” and took offense to the degree that she emailed the school in response.

Turner and Banks are the second and third Texas A&M assistants to apologize for statements made this offseason. They followed the lead of wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead, who apologized for tweets sent after five-star quarterback Tate Martell decommitted in May, but not before a slew of talented recruits distanced themselves from the Aggies.

With only just over a month left until the first game of the 2016 season, A&M’s remaining assistants don’t have much time to fit their feet in their mouths.