Rutgers coach Kyle Flood has been suspended three games and fined $50,000 for rule violations, the school announced. This follows a school investigation into whether he had inappropriate contact with a professor. Flood allegedly communicated with a professor about junior cornerback Nadir Barnwell, reportedly in danger of being ruled academically ineligible.
Suspended Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood is pretty bad at secrecy
“I am sending it from my personal email ... to ensure there will be no public vetting.”
Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Flood will miss games at Penn State and at home against Kansas and Michigan State. His record as a head coach is 24-17, with a 1-1 start in 2015.
Any contact with a professor concerning a player’s academics should come from an academic support member, so any communication from a coach runs a risk. In one of the emails, Flood said:
I hope you are having a great summer. I am forwarding a letter I wanted [the Student] to compose to you. I am sending it from my personal email to your personal email to ensure there will be no public vetting of the correspondence.
Flood is said to have done even more to hide his appearance in the meeting, telling the professor “that he purposely didn’t wear any Rutgers’ apparel or insignia so he wouldn’t be recognized in public.” Flood also sent numerous emails to see how Barnwell could make up work.
In a statement, Flood said, “I take full responsibility and accept the consequences of my actions. [...] Moving forward, I will make sure I adhere to all University policies and I will place an even greater emphasis with our staff on knowing, understanding and following every University, Big Ten and NCAA rule.”
According to the school, Flood sent the email after specifically being told not to by academic support staff. The head coach did not address the report when asked after a practice, but expressed frustration that university sources were commenting anonymously to the press about the investigation.
One series of emails suggests Flood helped edit a paper for the player:
More, via an unnamed academic advisor:
There have been other issues at Rutgers since the allegation first emerged. Five players, including Barnwell, were arrested and dismissed for their roles in an alleged armed robbery, while star wide receiver Leonte Carroo was suspended indefinitely for an alleged assault. That all follows several years of awkward statements and actions by the athletic department in general.
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