Part 3: SI Calls Out Alleged Drug Use By OSU Football Players

In the third installment to Sports Illustrated's exposé of the Oklahoma State football program the magazine targets alleged drug use amongst players.

Wednesday, September 11th 2013, 6:14 pm

By: News 9

Part 3: SI Calls Out Alleged Drug Use By OSU Football Players

In the third installment to Sports Illustrated's exposé of the Oklahoma State football program, the magazine targets alleged drug use amongst players.

The article claims 'OSU tolerated and at times enabled recreational drug use, primarily through a specious counseling program that allowed some players to continue to use drugs while avoiding penalties. The school's drug policy was selectively enforced, with some stars going unpunished despite repeated positive tests.'

Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated claims Oklahoma State's response to Bo Bowling's arrest in 2009 was consistent with its approach to drugs over the past decade: apathetic.
Herschel Sims, kicked off the team for stealing money from a teammate in 2012, said so many teammates were smoking marijuana, "we probably would have lost about 15-20 people who actually played."
Three former players told SI that they dealt marijuana while members of the 2001, '04 and '06 teams.
Defensive end William Bell claims to have sold marijuana and meth to athletes and non-athletes in Bennett Hall, a dorm across the street from the football stadium.
SI says 30 former OSU players who played between 2000 and 2011 said they used marijuana while on the football team: Alexander, Anthony, Bell, Cruz, Furr, Rodrick Johnson, McGill, Mickens, wide receiver Eric Allen (2003 and '04), running back Tatum Bell (2000 to '03), offensive lineman Doug Bond (2002 to '04), wide receiver Jeremy Broadway (2005 to '08), wide receiver William Cole (2007 to '08), defensive back Ricky Coxeff (2003 to '04), wide receiver Damian Davis (2007 and '08), linebacker Victor DeGrate (2003 to '06), linebacker Ahmed Denson (2000), defensive tackle Brad Girtman (2003 and '04), safety Victor Johnson (2008 to '10), wide receiver Chijuan Mack (2003 to '06), wide receiver Isaac McCoy (2011), defensive lineman Richard Murphy (2000 and '01), running back Dexter Pratt (2009), linebacker Marcus Richardson (2007), running back Seymore Shaw (2002 to '04), defensive tackle Walter Thomas (2004 and '05), offensive lineman Javius Townsend (2010), linebacker Kevin White (2005 and '06), wide receiver Artrell Woods (2006 to '08), and safety Thomas Wright (2002 to '04).
An unnamed former assistant coach reportedly told SI, "There's an issue with drugs at OSU, no doubt. We had all kinds of issues."
The OSU athletic department has a four-strike drug policy, SI says. A first positive test results in no penalty; a second leads to an immediate suspension of 10 percent of the regular season; a third, an immediate suspension of 50 percent. After a fourth positive test, the player is kicked off the team.
Oklahoma State's drug policy contains a rare clause which states that a player will not incur a strike as long as he is in counseling and as long as subsequent tests reveal a gradual decline in usage. The aim is to allow players to get help and not penalize them as the drugs exit their system, according to the SI story.
The counseling group was called the Weed Circle, and was a weekly Tuesday night gathering in a classroom. But the report alleges players could continue to use drugs while attending the counseling session.
Joel Tudman, assistant strength and conditioning coach, team chaplain and Life Issue/Social Development Counselor, SI claims, is under qualified to counsel student athletes about drug use because he only has one Master's degree (not two as was listed in his bio) and has only taken five counseling courses.
The SI piece alleges Bo Bowling was allowed back on the team a year after his arrest because coaches knew he could contribute (and he did), whereas two-year starting safety Victor Johnson was kicked off the team following his second positive drug test because he had suffered a season-ending knee injury.