OSU Students React To Sports Illustrated Football Investigation

Students are reacting Tuesday afternoon after reading the allegations in the Sports Illustrated investigative piece.

Tuesday, September 10th 2013, 1:23 pm

By: Dave Davis

OSU Students React To Sports Illustrated Football Investigation

The first part of an investigation by Sports Illustrated into the OSU football program was released Tuesday. Allegations include paying players and changing grades.

An investigator with the NCAA will be assigned to look into these allegations, and the school has said it will cooperate fully.

The scathing report is still sending shock waves through the OSU campus. Students are reacting after reading the allegations in the Sports Illustrated investigative piece.

Read Part 1 Of The Sports Illustrated Investigative Piece On OSU Football

We spoke with several students Tuesday morning and had a wide range of opinions - from those who just want this to blow over to life-long Cowboys and Cowgirls who see this as an attack on their school.

Starting at 8 a.m., students at Oklahoma State could read the Sports Illustrated article that's causing such a stir.

Some we talked to don't like it, but are already ready to move on.

"I don't condone it. I don't think it's justified; I just think it happens. Does it detract from the school itself? No," said student Michael Moore.

Student Ibad Reman agreed.

"I guess if somebody slipped, they slipped. It happens. But at this point we're at a good pace. I don't know what it will to us but hopefully not too much," he said.

When other read it - coaches allegedly paying players, boosters possibly paying recruits for jobs they didn't do, they see it as Sports Illustrated targeting OSU.

"This guy just seems like he has a personal vendetta against us," said Tyler Williamson.

"I'm a Cowboy through and through, and I'm going to stick with my university no matter what."

And more than one person mentioned the plane crashes in 2001 and 2011 - and say if OSU can come out of that, they can handle whatever comes out of these allegations.

"We've stuck together. We've been there for each other no matter what. The athletic community is really close," said Sami Schilthuis.

"Whether it's basketball, football, anything - we're always together."

Oklahoma State says they let the NCAA know about the article before it was published. An investigation by the NCAA is expected.