Late Sunday, a Coloradoan report surfaced out of Colorado State alleging racial insensitivy and abuse under former and current head coaches Mike Bobo and Steve Addazio.
Soon after a statement from South Carolina, where Bobo now serves as offensive coordinator, came out saying Gamecock officials were looking into those allegations.
It seems like that investigation has started led by athletics director Ray Tanner.
"Some things were said were disparaging in many ways. You still have to do an inquiry. That’s begun. We're in the midst of that," Tanner said on 107.5 FM Tuesday. "I’ve had a chance to visit with him and a couple of our other staff members. I’ll do a report back to our president and report back. Those things we don’t take lightly. I have great respect for Mike Bobo, I’ll tell you that. I’ve heard from a number of student athletes in a positive way.”
The investigation will likely include interviews with South Carolina's players and staff in the football program and then Tanner and his staff will report his findings to university president Bob Caslen about what those next steps might be.
Bobo brought three people with him from Colorado State to Columbia in quarterback Collin Hill, fullback Adam Prentice and Joe Cox, who serves as the Gamecocks' new wide receiver coach.
Cox already took to Twitter this week in support of Bobo, tweeting out a message of support for his boss.
Cox also played quarterback for Bobo at Georgia before joining his coaching staff at Colorado State.
"I'm actually shocked that I even have to make a remark about this...but I have known Bobo since I was 15 years old. I knew him throughout my recruitment, played for him for 5 years, coached for him for 5 years at CSU, vacationed with his family, he knows my wife, my child, my family. And it's absurd that his character is under any sort of scrutiny from ANYONE that knows him," Cox tweeted. "If some of the things mentioned in this article were true, I WOULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH IT. Other coaches would have had a serious problem with it. He is one of the reasons I chose to coach, and I feel disrespected for him. I have, and will always want to be involved with any program he is a part of."
According to the report, which can be read in full here, over 20 current and former CSU players and athletic department staff witnessed "recurring instances of racial insensitivity and abusive behavior" under Bobo and now Addazio's tenures.
Tanner, who said he read the article when it came out, said the allegations were enough for him and the athletic department to launch a full investigation.
He did not give a timetable on when the inquiry would be completed.
“We live in a world where if you hear a rumor you check it out. You don’t discount anything. If your mom tells you she loves you, verify it. You have to do those things. I have great respect for Mike Bobo as a person."
