University of Idaho officials announced Tuesday they have initiated an investigation into allegations against football coach Paul Petrino and the Vandal football coaching staff. The allegations were laid out in an anonymous email sent out Monday to various news outlets, UI officials and UI athletes.
The anonymous email alleges verbal abuse, NCAA practice violations, unfair treatment and mismanagement of the team.
In a press conference Tuesday, Petrino said the team never broke NCAA rules.
“We had two days of two-a-days this last fall camp,” Petrino said.
The anonymous email was sent from a “Joe Adams.” According to a university statement, there is not a Joe Adams associated with the UI Athletic Department.
“The welfare of our students and student-athletes is our primary concern and as such, the university takes these allegations very seriously,” according to a university statement.
According to the statement, the university”s Internal Audit unit has notified the NCAA compliance staff of the allegations, along with the department of Human Resources.
“Once the investigation has reached its conclusion, the university will take the appropriate action,” according to the statement.
Petrino said he didn”t address the team Monday because it was the team”s day off. Petrino said the players had a team meeting.
“There were so many players that came in and out of my office yesterday,” Petrino said. “They know the love that I have for them.”
Following the anonymous email, UI football captain Dallas Sandberg sent an email Monday that included a letter in support of the coaching staff, which was signed by many members of the football team.
“In response to the previous letter sent out about our team, we players and captains want it to be known that we stand behind our coaches 100 percent,” according to the letter from Sandberg.
Petrino said he stands by what the team captains wrote and what the members of the team signed.
“It”s someone that”s just trying to tear us apart, someone that”s trying to pull us apart, someone that has their own agenda,” Petrino said. “When you read the (original anonymous) letter close you can really tell it”s someone that”s never played football before.”
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