An extensive investigation into the football program at Oklahoma State University by Sports Illustrated alleges that over 30 players were given money and other privileges during Les Miles' tenure as head coach of the Cowboys, according to ESPN.
Eight former players told Sports Illustrated that they received payments during their time in Stillwater; those same players have pointed the finger at 29 of their teammates for also receiving money. The report alleges that players were given money as bonuses for good play by an assistant coach. Players also received payments unrelated to how they played and were given no-show jobs, according to Sports Illustrated.
The article is the first in a five part series looking into the improprieties that occurred at Oklahoma State. Sports Illustrated spent 10 months investigating the program and interviewing at over 60 former players as well as others connected to the program. Today's article only dealt with allegations involving money being given to players.
Some of the players that are named in the Sports Illustrated article have denied that they received any improper benefits.
"I'm in disbelief," former OSU quarterback Josh Fields told ESPN. "I never had anyone attempt to give me any type of payments or do my schoolwork and never saw my teammates accept money. I never accepted anything. Seeing my name in there was a shock."
Also denying that payments were happening at the school was former linebacker James Thomas; Thomas played at the school from 2007-2011 and denies that assistant coach Joe DeForest was paying players, according to the Oklahoman.
"If he was actually paying people for making plays, heck, I would have been rich," Thomas said. "If you look at my stats, I made play after play after play and didn't get anything. I got an 'attaboy' and a pat on the back. A 'good job, JT.' I got praise. That's all I got."
Former defensive lineman Cooper Bassett told the Tulsa World that he doubts players were paid since he didn't know anything about the payments.
"You would think in five years you would hear something because 18-, 19-, 20-, 21-year-old guys are probably the worst people in the world at keeping secrets," Bassett said. "I never heard anything in my five years at Oklahoma State. I figured that if I hadn't heard anything in my five years that we had the best secret-keepers in the United States of America and they should go work for the Secret Service or the CIA. Or it's just a bunch of baloney."
Linebacker-defensive end Rodrick Johnson told Sports Illustrated that players openly discussed the payments and that some players, specifically now deceased cornerback Darrent Williams, were eager to brag about the cash they were receiving.
"Not only did (Williams) show [the money], he let you know," Johnson told Sports Illustrated. "He said, 'If you perform like I perform, you get paid like you're supposed to get paid.'"
Oklahoma State responded to the investigation by issuing a statement saying that they were concerned by the report and said that they were investigating the veracity of the allegations, according to Sports Illustrated.
"Oklahoma State University is deeply troubled by these claims," OSU President Burns Hargis said in the statement. "We will investigate the accuracy of the allegations and take all appropriate action. We do not condone or tolerate improper conduct in our athletic programs. OSU requires everyone affiliated with the university follow the rules and adhere to the highest ethical standards."
Sports Illustrated is planning on releasing the portion of their investigation dealing with academic issues including allegations of academic misconduct and players who had their work done for them on Wednesday.
