YSU responds: Richmond won’t play this fall

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown State University announced Wednesday night that former Steubenville High School football standout Ma’lik Richmond will not play for the Penguins in 2017, but will remain with the team and continue to practice.

Richmond, one of two Big Red players found delinquent in the sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl in 2012, has been a YSU student since August 2016 and in 2017 became a walk-on with YSU under third-year head coach Bo Pelini.

“For the Fall 2017 football season, Ma’lik will not be permitted to compete in any games, but will continue to be a part of the football program as a practice player, forfeiting a year of eligibility,” the university statement read.

“He will be given the opportunity to benefit from group participation, the lessons of hard work and discipline, as well as the camaraderie and guidance of the staff and teammates. He will also continue to work with the University’s director of student outreach and support who assists young men and women in becoming successful students and YSU graduates.”

Richmond began fall workouts with the Penguins this week. After a story in The Vindicator noted his presence on the roster, an online petition drive calling for his removal from the team and another in support of the player began.

Last week, Pelini told Brian Dzenis, YSU beat writer for The Vindicator, that he received a tip that the former Big Red player was attending YSU. The Penguins’ coach said he looked into Richmond’s past before deciding to allow him to join the program.

“I believe in him, but I told him, ‘I’ll hold your feet to the fire,’” Pelini said in an exclusive interview with The Vindicator on Aug. 3, just before the Penguins began fall workouts. “He has to do it better and cleaner than the next guy.”

YSU president Jim Tressel weighed in on Richmond’s status in the original story.

“He’s been here [for a year] and I haven’t heard of any issues with him,” Tressel said. “What’s important now is the future, my expectations for him are the same as I would have for any student.”

But the comments from Pelini and Tressel did little to stem the online protests from outraged students, alumni and others over Richmond’s presence on the team. A petition started by YSU student Katelyn Davis has generated 10,821 signatures.

The petition was to be presented to YSU after reaching 10,000 signatures, but the goal is now 15,000, according to the Change.org website.

A petition started in support of Richmond being on the team has picked up 101 signatures. Michelle Cappuzzello Whittenberger started that petition, according to Change.org.

The university’s statement said Richmond twice expressed a desire to try out for the YSU football team.

The first time, the statement read, “Ma’lik was advised by the coaching staff that if he integrated himself within the campus community academically and socially and completed the fall semester in good standing, further discussions could occur.”

According to YSU, Richmond asked again in January.

“At this time, he was permitted to participate on a tryout basis with the team, for winter workouts,” the statement read.

“At the conclusion of winter workouts, he was permitted to practice with the team as a walk-on from February to April. Ma’lik Richmond earned a spot on the 105-man roster on Aug. 2 as a walk-on and is not receiving an athletic scholarship. He continues to be in good standing on the YSU campus.”

The statement also stressed that YSU “takes the matter of sexual assault very seriously and continues to educate everyone within the campus community about the impact and prevention of sexual assault.”