With Baylor defensive end Sam Ukwuachu’s conviction on sexual assault charges make the headlines, Baylor University will conduct an investigation into the school’s handling of the sexual assault allegations against the football player who was allowed to transfer to Baylor despite a history of disciplinary problems at Boise State.
Baylor President Ken Starr called for a “comprehensive internal inquiry into the circumstances associated with the case and the conduct of the offices involved.”
The review will be led by a law professor who is a faculty athletic representative to the Big 12 and NCAA and former assistant criminal district attorney.
Ukwuachu, 22, was sentenced to six months in jail and put on 10 years of probation. His former girlfriend testified during the trial that he had struck and choked her when he attended Boise State.
The case has brought scrutiny to Baylor campus police for their investigation of the allegations against Ukwuachu and to Briles for allowing Ukwuachu to enroll.
A Baylor official testified the school investigated the woman’s complaint but didn’t find enough evidence “to move forward.”
Briles said in a statement that he spoke with then-Boise State coach Chris Petersen about Ukwuachu when the player was looking to transfer, but was never told of incidents of violence toward women. Petersen is now the coach at Washington.
After Briles spoke to reporters earlier in the day about his conversation with Petersen, the Washington coach released a statement.
“After Sam Ukwuachu was dismissed from the Boise State football program and expressed an interest in transferring to Baylor, I initiated a call with coach Art Briles,” Petersen said. “In that conversation, I thoroughly apprised Coach Briles of the circumstances surrounding Sam’s disciplinary record and dismissal.”
Ukwuachu, from Pearland, Texas, started 12 games for Boise State as a freshman, but was dismissed from the team and left the school in the spring of 2013. Boise State never gave details as to why Ukwuachu was kicked off the team.
Briles has turned Baylor from perennial Big 12 doormats into a national power during his eight years in Waco. Briles’ up-tempo spread offense has produced record-breaking numbers and helped the Bears have their firstHeisman Trophy winner in Robert Griffin III in 2011. Baylor has won consecutive Big 12 titles and is expected to contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff this season.
Briles has found some success at Baylor welcoming players who have had problems at other programs, most notably star defensive end Shawn Oakman, who was dismissed at Penn State for a violation of team rules and transferred to the Bears.
He transferred to Baylor but never played for the Bears. He was ineligible in 2013 because of NCAA transfer rules and suspended in 2014, though Baylor never gave a reason.
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