Did the Chig and the coaching staff fail DJK?

[HawkeyeMike23]

I'm not saying he failed at his job. I'm asking WHAT IS Chick's job, if not to prevent this kind of thing (the living situation) from happening. Yes I'm also saying that if either a) he didn't know because he didn't ask, or b) he did know but didn't do anything to change it, that he (and by extention his superiors) failed in that regard.

I'm willing to cut them some slack if DJK was actively decieving them about his living situation but I guess I find that to be the most remote of the possibilities listed above.

Lastly I don't know anyone whos asking for heads about this, what we want is an answer to the following question....

"Why wasn't a person who's sole job duty is to help players on this team make good life decisions able to prevent DJK from having a roomate with previous drug convictions?"

Again at the risk of repeating myself I can only come up with three possible answers....

A) They didn't know because they didn't ask = FAIL
B) They knew but didn't correct it = FAIL
C) DJK actively decieved them about his living situation = PASS

Note I'm not saying Chick is the ONLY one complicit if there is failure. In fact if failure exists it almost certainly involves more than one individual, hence the title of the freaking post "Did Chick (sic) and the coaching staff fail DJK?"

I agree with almost everything you say. I think the title of the post is what is causing a lot of people to disagree. I don't think Chick and the coaching staff failed DJK, as plenty of other people have said he's old enough to know better, but I do think asking if this incident was preventable is a legitimate question.

As much as we might like to think that Chick's job is to develop upstanding young men, it really is about stopping players from embarrassing the program. That's what it comes down to, it's nice to think the coaching staff truly cares about each kid and wants them all to be good people as well as good football players but the real reason for having someone in this role is to prevent incidents like this that embarress the program.

Some people are making it seem like we expect Ferentz to individually investigate who every single player is living with. This is not the case at all. The football program employs hundreds of people as support staff and administrative assistants. The coaching staff already knows the address of every player, getting their roommates name's and having someone run a background check to see if any of them have been convicted of any crimes before, does not seem unreasonable.

And if this was done, and DJK lied about where or who he was living with, then I don't have a problem. But if not, then I think this is an issue that could have been prevented.

 

[das89hawk]

I'm pretty sure all student atheletes know when they go to school that drugs are illegal. And that living in a house where they are present could lead to big trouble.
As far as coaches responsibility goes, maybe Chick is the reason warrant is sealed. Maybe he tried to get DJK out and he ignored any help. I am curious to see what DJK says. How much influence does the Staff have over a 5th yr senior who clearly is looking at a NFL career and $$. I dont see antone on staff turning a blind eye to any player if they knew he was in that situation. sometimes people get a big head and think they know what is best and are willing to take chances

 

[Iowafarmgirl]

Duffman, do you seriously think that it is the coaches' responsibility to know the living situation of every player? We are talking about 90+ people here that you think, maybe a dozen coaches should know every detail about their lives?

How much do you want to bet that DJK's parents have been to his apt, and knew his roommate, and had no idea what was going on? Are they failing him too? For the love of God, he is a grown man, he doesn't (and shouldn't) need the coaches lording over him like a prison guard.

 

[DuffMan]

Duffman, do you seriously think that it is the coaches' responsibility to know the living situation of every player? We are talking about 90+ people here that you think, maybe a dozen coaches should know every detail about their lives?

How much do you want to bet that DJK's parents have been to his apt, and knew his roommate, and had no idea what was going on? Are they failing him too? For the love of God, he is a grown man, he doesn't (and shouldn't) need the coaches lording over him like a prison guard.

Absolutely 100% undoubtedly yes. As mentioned previously we have had two separate and somewhat scandilous issues arising in part from where our players were (or were not living). Given the fact we have a person on our staff whose sole job is to do everything in his power to make sure these kids don't get into trouble I see no possible excuse for not knowing, unless DJK was dishonest about his situation to the staff.

 

[das89hawk]

Duffman, do you seriously think that it is the coaches' responsibility to know the living situation of every player? We are talking about 90+ people here that you think, maybe a dozen coaches should know every detail about their lives?

How much do you want to bet that DJK's parents have been to his apt, and knew his roommate, and had no idea what was going on? Are they failing him too? For the love of God, he is a grown man, he doesn't (and shouldn't) need the coaches lording over him like a prison guard.

Have not thought of parent aspect? How curious? now all parents of student atheletes should be held responsible for what their adult children do away from home instead of adults acting like responsible adults!

 

[Igothawked]

Absolutely 100% undoubtedly yes. As mentioned previously we have had two separate and somewhat scandilous issues arising in part from where our players were (or were not living). Given the fact we have a person on our staff whose sole job is to do everything in his power to make sure these kids don't get into trouble I see no possible excuse for not knowing, unless DJK was dishonest about his situation to the staff.

Yes, this is where I agree with you. The coaching staff (Don't know or care who's job particularly) but they need to know what your living situation is. These players are receiving money for housing from scholarship dollars. They must absolutely know where the players are living and I am guessing they do. I think the real issue is who you are living with. Maybe they get a name, but how are the coaches to investigate to determine if the person is trouble or not? Should it be neccessary to go to those extremes? I don't know, but I am guessing the coaches know exactly where the players are living and most likely know who they are living with, they just don't know anything about who they are living with.

 

[olivecourt]

Yes, this is where I agree with you. The coaching staff (Don't know or care who's job particularly) but they need to know what your living situation is. These players are receiving money for housing from scholarship dollars. They must absolutely know where the players are living and I am guessing they do. I think the real issue is who you are living with. Maybe they get a name, but how are the coaches to investigate to determine if the person is trouble or not? Should it be neccessary to go to those extremes? I don't know, but I am guessing the coaches know exactly where the players are living and most likely know who they are living with, they just don't know anything about who they are living with.

Exactly. The guy's name was Brady Johnson. What were they supposed to do-- google him? I just googled his name-- keep in mind, this is after the case hit national news-- and got a BYU golfer and a guy in South Carolina convicted for manslaughter.

 

[olivecourt]

But by saying the staff let DJK down is clearly throwing one under the bus. That is the definition of throwing someone under the bus. Placing blame on one person or one group of people, is throwing that individual/group under the bus.

Actually, the definition of throwing someone under a bus would be to propel someone bodily so that they are underneath a large vehicle with many passengers.

Now THAT would be the lead story on ESPN.com for more than a couple of hours.

 

[Iowafarmgirl]

Absolutely 100% undoubtedly yes. As mentioned previously we have had two separate and somewhat scandilous issues arising in part from where our players were (or were not living). Given the fact we have a person on our staff whose sole job is to do everything in his power to make sure these kids don't get into trouble I see no possible excuse for not knowing, unless DJK was dishonest about his situation to the staff.

See, the problem you are quoting is WHERE the athletes were living. There was no problem with WHERE DJK was living. It was how he was living.

Like I said before, unless you are spot checking a grown man for contraband like he is in prison, then there is no way for the staff to know that DJK was making it snow in his bedroom. Most college students can fool attentive parents and hide their drug use, and the coaches are not, nor should they have to be, as involved in the men's living situation as much as the parents.

 

[DuffMan]

See, the problem you are quoting is WHERE the athletes were living. There was no problem with WHERE DJK was living. It was how he was living.

Like I said before, unless you are spot checking a grown man for contraband like he is in prison, then there is no way for the staff to know that DJK was making it snow in his bedroom. Most college students can fool attentive parents and hide their drug use, and the coaches are not, nor should they have to be, as involved in the men's living situation as much as the parents.

You are arguing semantics. When I say where they are living that includes knowing the names of anyone living with them.

 

[theboat]

You are arguing semantics. When I say where they are living that includes knowing the names of anyone living with them.

And apparantly running background checks, unless of course you think he lives with a felon in SC

 

[DuffMan]

And apparantly running background checks, unless of course you think he lives with a felon in SC

If they are not a football player absolutely running background checks. We arent talking FBI stuff here....

They could have found several criminal charges by typing his name into Iowa Courts Online.

 

[Billso]

Background checks are not some kind of extreme or scary proposition. They're routine, readily available from agencies, and relatively inexpensive. In my view the UI should ABSOLUTELY run background checks on the roommates of off-campus athletes. Cheap insurance.

Heck, my wife and I had to undergo background checks just to volunteer at our kid's school. It's SOP for little league coaches and lots of other youth activities as well.

 

[olivecourt]

Background checks are not some kind of extreme or scary proposition. They're routine, readily available from agencies, and relatively inexpensive. In my view the UI should ABSOLUTELY run background checks on the roommates of off-campus athletes. Cheap insurance.

Heck, my wife and I had to undergo background checks just to volunteer at our kid's school. It's SOP for little league coaches and lots of other youth activities as well.

I really doubt the legality of some of this stuff. There's a huge difference between an adult who volunteers to work with young people and gives their consent for a background check and a college student who happens to live with a student-athlete.

Plus, I can already see the headline in the DM Register: "Iowa Athletic Department Spends $50,000 of Public Money on Background Checks for Roommates" They would be savaged, and rightly so. We ask our athletes to be adults-- some times you have to treat them as such and live with the consequences if they foul up.

 

[Billso]

There's nothing illegal about running a background check on anyone you want, as long as it's limited to public records.

And it would not be public money, and it would be nowhere near $50,000 - they cost under $100 and usually come back in 48-72 hrs.

On a related topic, Oklahoma among other schools have been running criminal background checks on entering athletes for some years. Some schools limit it to transfers, as criminal history on minors is typically sealed.

 

[olivecourt]

($100x85 athletes) + ($100x85 roommates) + ($100x every athlete and every roommate in every other sport)= enough money for folks to make a stink over-- especially at the Des Moines Register. And where does it stop? Should Ferentz and Chig try to figure out who every guy on the team is dating and who their girlfriends hang out with? Background checks on those people too? Who is going to go around collecting Brady Johnson's social security number to make sure they've got the right guy, and why on earth would he feel compelled to provide it?

I understand people are frustrated, but I don't see how turning the football program into a mini-police state is possible or even desirable. Sometimes you have to treat people like adults and live with the consequences. It's just part of life.

 

[doughuddl]

Again I want to stress I didn't raise this subject to try and divert blame AWAY from DJK. Regardless of who he was living with ultimately it was his decision to get involved with the things he was invovled with. Had he not had pot, coke and pills in his bedroom, had he not tested positive for them, it's unlikely he would not have been charged, despite what his roomate was doing.

Further it's very possible that he would have been involved in these things REGARDLESS of who he was living with.

My point is an extremly narrow one. Simply stated it is...

The coaching staff failed by allowing him to live with the person he was living with.

I didn't do background checks on my kid's roommates when she went off to college. Did you? I hoped she figured that stuff out before I sent them.

There is always that percentage of people that like to point the finger at others to lay the blame.

 

[cibula11]

I blame the D.A.R.E program in 5th grade....DJK could've made a commitment NEVER to do drugs.

 

[doughuddl]

If they are not a football player absolutely running background checks. We arent talking FBI stuff here....

They could have found several criminal charges by typing his name into Iowa Courts Online.

And just who is gosng to supply the UofI the names of the roommates living with the athletes?

 

[Billso]

And just who is gosng to supply the UofI the names of the roommates living with the athletes?

The athletes, obviously. They may already, you would be amazed how much paperwork D1 athletes have to fill out each year to meet requirements of the school, the conference, and the NCAA.