In a press conference late Wednesday night, Colorado’s President and Chancellor announced that head football coach Gary Barnett will be placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an independent investigation of the football program.
Barnett, the former head football coach at Northwestern, was placed on leave because of comments he made Wednesday about a former Colorado football player, Katie Hnida, who alleged she was raped by a teammate in 1999.
Colorado President Elizabeth Hoffman said the comments were “unacceptable.”
“They were extremely inappropriate and insensitive,” Hoffman said. “Rape is a horrific allegation and it should be taken seriously.”
Barnett responded to Hnida’s allegations Tuesday, telling The Associated Press, “Katie was not only a girl, she was terrible (at football). … There’s no other way to say it.”
He also said he had no knowledge of a sexual assault back then.
In this week’s Sports Illustrated, former Buffaloes kicker Hnida alleged she was raped, verbally abused and molested by teammates when she was a member of the team.After Wednesday night’s press conference, Barnett commented on his current situation.
“I’m a team player and I accept President Hoffman’s decision,” Barnett told reporters in an interview broadcast Wednesday night on ESPN. “I don’t agree with it, but I’ll handle it like I would expect one of my players to handle it.”
Recent allegations of sexual misconduct by Colorado football players placed Barnett in a tenuous position with the Buffaloes, after news had surfaced about football recruiting parties that involved alcohol and strippers.
Three other women had alleged they were raped by Colorado players or recruits in 2001 at or after a recruiting party.
Also in this week’s Sports Illustrated, former NU football player Chris Leeder said Wildcats recruits were taken to strip clubs or parties where strippers were provided.
Leeder, a lineman from 1994 to 1997, said, “Selling sex to recruits is not something they invented at Colorado. Every school does it.”
Barnett declined to comment to The Daily on Wednesday night.
Barnett was head coach at NU for seven seasons (1992-98), leaving in January of 1999 to take over at Colorado. During Barnett’s tenure at NU, the Cats won back-to-back conference championships, going to the Rose Bowl in 1995 and the Citrus Bowl in 1996. Barnett compiled a 35-45-1 record during his time in Evanston.
But his NU career was not always smooth sailing. Four NU football players were accused of being involved in a scheme to fix the outcome of several games during the 1994 season.
Barnett’s abrupt departure from NU cost the Cats at least one big time recruit — Michigan quarterback John Navarre, who reneged on his oral commitment because of uncertainty about Barnett’s position with the team.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
