The mother of fallen Northwestern football player Rashidi Wheeler and NCAA officials offered differing interpretations of a meeting between the two sides in Indianapolis on Tuesday.
Linda Will, Wheeler’s mother, said NCAA President Myles Brand told her and her attorney Johnnie Cochran he would examine evidence that NU committed additional violations beyond those they acknowledged in 2001.
“Dr. Brand is going to be in close contact with Johnnie Cochran and the infractions committee,” Will said.
But an NCAA official who attended most of the meeting said she did not recall Brand making such a promise.
Danita Edwards, the NCAA’s vice president for public affairs, said Brand “welcomed receiving more information” on the Wheeler case. She added, however, that this is no different than the way the NCAA handles other cases.
“Anyone could provide any information on anything,” Edwards said.
Alan Cubbage, vice president for university relations, said NU will wait to hear from the NCAA before commenting on any possible investigation.
Wheeler collapsed and died Aug. 3, 2001, during a sprinting drill. NU forfeited six practices later that year after President Henry Bienen announced the team had violated NCAA rules by keeping results of the drill and reporting them to coaches.
Will has called that punishment “insulting” and continues to pursue a wrongful-death suit against the university, head coach Randy Walker, Director of Athletics Rick Taylor and others.
Edwards said Tuesday’s meeting was most useful for explaining to Will the powers the NCAA does and does not possess.
“Dr. Brand felt like we were able to use that time very productively in terms of being able to educate Ms. Will on our role as an association and on the role of our member institutions,” Edwards said.
But Will bristled at the suggestion that she needed to be “educated.”
“I dare to think they need to educate me,” she said. “Maybe that was their purpose, to miseducate me.”
Marc Isenberg, a supporter of Will’s who accompanied her to Indianapolis but did not attend the meeting, agreed.
“It was an affront to Linda to have the NCAA suggest they were educating her,” said Isenberg, who advocates for student-athletes.
Isenberg said Will was using the meeting to inform Brand that she expects him to take action to protect athletes.
“If not, she was putting them on notice that she may take legal action,” Isenberg said.
There was some agreement about the results of the meeting. Will said she understood why the NCAA could not go through with her request to fire Walker.
“They wish they had power to do more,” Will said. “Because they are a membership organization, it is the responsibility of the school president to hold (the coaches) accountable.”
Will also said Cochran plans to meet with NU trustees to discuss the Wheeler case. Cochran could not be reached for comment.
