Washington State star accuses Mike Leach of abuse
Ex-Washington State star wide receiver Marquess Wilson has just a slightly different version of the events that led to his departure from the Cougars this week.
In a statement issued today, Wilson alleged that head coach Mike Leach and his staff are subjecting his players to "physical, emotional and verbal abuse," causing him to leave Wazzu. Earlier this week, Leach announced that Wilson had been suspended indefinitely.
Leach, of course, had an acrimonious split from his previous employer, Texas Tech, following abuse charges leveled against him by former player Adam James, son of ex-ESPN commentator and SMU star running back Craig James. The allegations led to a series of lawsuits by the eccentric Air Raid savant against the James gang, ESPN and Texas Tech.
Given Leach's history, Wilson's claims will generate plenty of scrutiny regarding Leach's motivational methods and treatment of his players in his first season as WSU head coach.
The troubling thing for me is the repeated allegations at both schools of physical abuse. It's one thing if the coach is giving them hell verbally, but to me it's disturbing that a pattern of physical abuse has been alleged at two schools.
