Coach Andersen calls into question report of drug charges
During Thursday’s press conference leading up to the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl, Utah State head coach Gary Andersen was asked about reports from earlier in the week regarding three of his players — Jordan Love, Gerold Bright and Sean Carter — reportedly being charged for drug-related offenses.
He didn’t hold a lot back.
Coach Gary Andersen's full response to this week's reports about drug charges being filed against three USU football players. pic.twitter.com/8GjxC0ni2J
— Jason Walker (@thejwalk67) December 19, 2019
Though calm as always when speaking to the media, Andersen said more than his fill. He started off by claiming that the reports, first broken by Cache Valley Daily, were not “all the way truthful.” His disdain for those behind the initial reports then became quickly evident.
“I just hope at the end of this whole thing that those people can have the same miserable day that those kids had when these articles came out,” Andersen said. “I hope that they can have those same miserable days. And I’ll work hard if I can to make sure that those days are miserable for those people.”
Andersen also brought attention to some behind-the-scenes consequences, namely the hours and days the young men endure with article after article highlighting their names in connection with the initial reports.
“It’s highly irritating,” Andersen said, “to put kids, in this setting, in this situation, at a bowl game and to have to have them go through those hours and those times just because somebody told somebody something that obviously wasn’t completely correct.”
The two players at the press conference, — wide receiver Jordan Nathan and edge rusher Tipa Galeai — said the reports haven’t been a distraction.
“We’re here to play a ball game,” Galeai said. “We’ll let them handle it. I trust our coach, I trust our staff and they’ll make the right decision.”
“It’s sad to see,” Nathan said. ” But at the end of the day, we’re here to win (the Frisco Bowl trophy).”
When asked, Andersen clarified that the three players will be eligible to play in the bowl game, saying there was never any question.
The university released a brief statement on the situation, which Andersen encouraged those present to read.
“We are aware that citations were issued,” the statement said. “We have processes in place, both in Student Conduct and in Athletics, and we’ll follow our procedures, as we do in all cases.”
Twitter: @thejwalk67