Recruits Want Release From Baylor
Seven Baylor signees requested a release from their football national letters of intent after the school’s handling of sexual-assault allegations led to the eventual dismissal of head coach Art Briles.
All seven players were scheduled to enroll in summer classes on Monday but backed off while awaiting the university’s response, ESPN reported Wednesday.
Six incoming freshmen from Baylor’s highest ranked recruiting class in history who already made their requests are offensive guard Patrick Hudson, four-star offensive tackle J.P. Urquidez, wide receiver Jared Atkinson, four-star running back Kameron Martin, four-star cornerback Parrish Cobb and wide receiver/cornerback Donovan Duvernay. A seventh player, four-star wide receiver Devin Duvernay, is close to finishing the process.
“J.P. should be afforded the opportunity to go to a university that is not riddled with investigation, not labeled with sexual assault and rape,” said Julian Urquidez, whose son is an offensive tackle from Copperas Cove (Texas) High School. “He should be afforded the opportunity to go to a university that is safe.”
Recruits are bound by the national letter of intent to a school even when the coach leaves. That is because the athlete signs with the school and not with a specific coach.
Baylor has the option to grant a complete release or no release within
30 days after a request is submitted. If the school refuses to let the players go, they can appeal to a National Letter of Intent Policy and Review Committee.
Jim Grobe was appointed interim coach at Baylor earlier this week to try to bring some stability to the program, but the recruits still want to go elsewhere.
One of those is Martin, who committed to the Bears in July 2014.
“In February, we were all talking about winning national championships,” he said. “All of us, the guys who didn’t show up, we’re good guys and we want to do what’s best for our family. It’s just not a good environment. We just want Baylor to do the right thing by releasing all of us.
