Assault investigation predates Coker’s suspension
By Ryan Suchomel and Lee Hermiston
Iowa City Press-Citizen ©
Running back Marcus Coker, who was suspended for the Insight Bowl, won’t return to the Iowa football team.
The school announced Tuesday that Coker asked for, and was given, a release from his scholarship.
Coker, a sophomore, leaves three weeks after being suspended from the Insight Bowl for “disciplinary reasons” and a little more than 10 weeks since being named in an incident report for assault.
According to an Iowa City Police Department incident report from Oct. 28, 2011, obtained by an open records request, Coker was the subject of an assault investigation initiated that day.
According to that report, a woman reported to police that she was the victim of an assault at Coker’s residence. The alleged assault took place sometime between 1:15-1:30 a.m. on Oct. 28.
The circumstances surrounding the assault are not detailed in the report, but it does note that the responding officer was dispatched to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics about a sexual assault.
Iowa City Police Lt. Doug Hart said Coker was investigated for assault. However, after conferring with the Johnson County Attorney’s Office, prosecution was not pursued. Hart said the alleged victim also did not want to prosecute.
Hart said, as is often the case with alleged criminal activity involving an athlete, the Iowa athletic department was informed of the investigation. Hart said he did not know who was contacted or precisely when they were contacted, but that the university would have been informed shortly after the alleged incident.
The Dec. 20 news release announcing Coker’s suspension stated: “The issue involves University of Iowa policies, and has resulted in Coker being in violation of the UI Student-Athlete Code of Conduct.”
Iowa athletic director Gary Barta did not expand on the reason why Coker asked for his release Tuesday morning.
“I’m not going to go into details,” Barta said about an hour before the Iowa men’s basketball game Tuesday in East Lansing, Mich. “He withdrew (from classes) and asked for a release and that’s where we’re at.”
Barta was asked if Coker was ever involved in a legal investigation.
“I’m not going to comment on anything beyond what I’ve done so far,” Barta said.
Iowa City attorney Leon Spies released a statement after the city fulfilled the Iowa City Press-Citizen’s records request noting that Coker was aware of the request and the city’s response.
“He also knows that no charges have been brought against him and that he is innocent of any criminal wrongdoing,” Spies said.
When asked Friday if the assault investigation and Coker’s suspension were linked, Spies declined to comment.
Efforts have been made to reach Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz after the incident report was released.
Iowa’s sports information department issued a brief reply Friday noting the university was aware of the Iowa City Police Department’s investigation and that the university followed “prescribed measures in place for reviewing and acting on any alleged violations of the Code of Student Life.”
Barta said Tuesday that Coker remained suspended up until his release.
“His status hasn’t changed,” Barta said. “And that’s not unusual because classes hadn’t resumed nor had football activities.”
Barta said he did not know if plans had been to reinstate Coker to the team when classes resumed Jan. 17 or at a future date.
“I don’t know that I knew what to expect other than I knew that his status at some point would be addressed one way or another,” Barta said.
Coker ran for 1,384 yards during his sophomore season, the fourth-best total in Hawkeye history. He ranked second in the Big Ten Conference in rushing and earned second-team all-Big Ten honors.
Iowa associate athletic director Mary Curtis said that, like any scholarship release, Coker is eligible to “seek out any institution.” However, he must sit out a full academic year if he transfers to another FBS program.
Asked Tuesday if Coker would have a restricted release, Barta said. “We haven’t gotten to that point yet. I’ve been here (for the Iowa-Michigan State basketball game). We’ll grant it. I don’t know what form that will take.”
Asked if Coker would be restricted from attending another Big Ten school, Barta said, “I’m not going to speculate.”
Barta said he spoke to Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz on Tuesday.
“I’m not going to go into details,” Barta said. “He asked for a release and that’s where we’re at.”
One possible landing spot could be at Division II Gannon University in Erie, Pa. Coker’s former DeMatha Catholic teammate and classmate Daniel Tapscott is a quarterback there.
“He was asking me if (Gannon) was a good program, so I told him about it,” Tapscott said. “It would be nice to have him around.”
Tapscott said he has talked to Coker since his suspension.
“He was really upset that he missed out on a big opportunity,” Tapscott said. “He knows he could’ve helped his team, and felt he let his teammates down. That’s what was important to him.”
If Coker transferred to Gannon he would be eligible to play this fall. He could then transfer back to a Division I program or be eligible to enter the 2013 NFL draft.
Coker is the second tailback to leave after the season. Mika’il McCall also asked to be released. The previous season, Brandon Wegher, Adam Robinson and Jewel Hampton left.
“I’m concerned whenever somebody comes into our program and then, for whatever reason, leaves before they graduate,” Barta said. “That’s no different than any other situation whether it’s Marcus or anyone else.”
The fact that it’s a run of running backs only magnifies the situation.
“Obviously we’ve had several running backs that haven’t finished their career at Iowa,” Barta said.
“That’s a concern. It’s probably more public when it’s a position like the running back. But any time a student-athlete — and I have 700 of them — leaves the program, it’s a concern.”
Rick Brown and Pat Harty contributed to this report.
Category: Iowa Hawkeyes Football
One can only be amazed, whatever the “truth” is. And ask of what value a program is that brings as much negative as positive to the UI’s image ?
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Great! More things we can be proud of!! I’ll finally say this once and mean it……IF YOU CAN’T START CONTROLLING THE PLAYERS BETTER FERENTZ, THEN GET THE HELL OUT!!!!! I’m so damn sick and tired of this!!! We pay $3.8 million a year for this…..a mediocre record and trouble with players CONSTANTLY LEAVING OR GETTING IN TROUBLE!! Cripes, this is sooooooo embarrassing and disappointing to me it’s almost unreal!! I mean seriously….is this all happening…..AGAIN?????????? 3.8 million!? We are wasting money!!!!
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You need to do a search of the arrests this year for the Hawkeyes. After the embarrassing 2007-2008 seasons there have been a lot of changes made and that is why you are seeing the suspensions.When you do your search you will find 2 alcohol citations for this 2011-2012 team. Coker was investigated and was not charged. He is innocent. You can speculate all you want, but he was not charged with anything. KF has put team rules above football so you are not wasting you money paying him. How much do you pay him anyway?
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…if our players are going to just get in trouble then lets get a coach that will actually consistently keep us on the national stage! LSU had a bunch of players get in trouble too, but I’m pretty sure their record was better than 7-5!! We have the same troubles with players, but no wins to go with it! Seems to me we are fools and getting suckered!! I mean, if we are going to have the same problems as say LSU, then we may as well be winning 10-11 games a year!! My God this is embarrassing as a Hawk fan!!!!
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If I were you I’d find a better team to support.
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What an incredibly stupid statement..Especially when the article clearly states that there no longer is an investigation of Coker.
If anyone screwed up..it is the university and their treatment of a player that had been cleared and suspended on flimsy evidence.
We have too many stupid fans..embarassing
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It says the incident took place on Oct 28, a Friday at 1:15 to 1:30 PM. The Football game schedule says that the Iowa Football team would have been in or on their way to Minnesota to play the Gophers the following day, Saturday. Huh?
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Why did a public official(Police Chief?)–as reported on hawk central–state that Coker wasn’t under investigation. Was that officials statement made prior to opening of the investigation? When was the open records request made in relation to the officials statement and when the investigation began?
Since this investigation was for assault and the alleged victim is a woman. Is there any useful comparison(i.e. transparency, privacy, speed of the investigation) be made about the process of this investigation and other past highly publicized investigations (Pierre Pierce, Abe Satterfield)?
Any investigative journalists that can answer these questions?
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IMO the blame for Coker’s departure lies upon the University of Iowa
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I sure am glad it wasn’t an academic issue as was rumored. That would put the university in a bad light.
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It likely could have been something related to university rules. This all happened a long time before he was suspended. They have made a lot of changes since the problems of 2007-2008 and the rules are very strict. I’m glad to see KF sticking to the rules and not putting football ahead of the rules. The clones are running into a lot of problems this past year and need to get a handle on things before theirs get out of control.
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Nice to see the victim declined to press charges, joining the mass of enablers, sycophants, and kool-aid slurpers. Be sure to save her a seat near yours. You can tell her about the problems that are, for now, all in the past.
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Who charged Sam Mack?
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Wow.
Sam Mack smack.
Did your step-dad tell you about him, billy?
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Simmer Down CrazHawk… is it all about the money to you? These young student-athletes deal with amazing pressures that most of us will never know, and they’re 20 yrs old! I applaud Kirk and his staff for being steadfast. I guess the grass is always greener,right? Some fans are never happy, just greedy. Go Hawks & Welcome Greg Garmon.
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There is an “elephant” in the room—either our standards in recruiting are low or we are lacking in the ability to create discipline and a sense of responsibility. An occasional blip on the radar screen happens, but this has gone beyond anything that could be construed as acceptable. I am wondering if it weren’t for the Tenn Tech’s and the La Monroe’s that we pad our scheudle with, would we be happy with KF’s leadership?
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Plenty of stuff like this happened under Fry. But, back then, there was no internet and thus it was swept under the rug.
Trying to keep 100 teenagers and young adults in line is almost impossible. Stuff happens.
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What are you talking about? A honor society student/volunteer from a private HS on the east coast. Anyone who has come into contact with him has raved about him. He’s an astrophysics major..What more do you want?
Something went wrong here and I suspect it was not on Coker’s part.
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And when asked in Dec., the IC POlice said they had no criminal matters under investigation with Coker. Which was true ; in Dec.
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I’m not saying this just about Coker! This is a snow ball effect and I’m thinking of it as a whole. McCall, Robinson, Wegher, Jewell, Coker, I mean there is some disconnection somewhere right? For all of you supporting and defending, when do we draw the line and finally think something is wrong? Do we need more people to leave year after year, do we need more in trouble? Please tell me where you draw the line and become concerned. I’m dying to know.
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The blame lies on Coker, the person. It was COKER’S choice. Not Ferentz’s or anyone else’s choice.
Ferentz can’t babysit. This is ALL on Coker.
Any time players get in trouble with the law, it’s ALL on the players. It’s not any coach’s fault.
Unless some people think the coaches tell the players to go out and make these types of choices.
Coaches preach to the players all the time about making positive choices.
But if Coker were innocent, I don’t believe he’d have reason to jump ship.
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“But if Coker were innocent, I don’t believe he’d have reason to jump ship.”
+1 googleplex
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Typical idiot Cyclone response. Pretty narrow minded by the OP as well.
Maybe he’s a bit ticked off and strongly believes he’s innocent and is not happy in how he was treated by the university.
No charges were filed for a reason. Some of you with no lives just like to troll
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And if my Aunt had…
I get it now. All we need is to open are mind.
Next time I see Sasquatch, I’ll let you know.
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[...] October, 8 weeks predating his suspension, Coker was a suspect of an assault investigation, which may have been a sexual assault. But, as Marc Morehouse points out, “ [...]
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