Tuesday Liberty football notes, 9/20

The topic of the day in regards to Liberty football is Asa Chapman and coach Danny Rocco’s reinstatement of Chapman to the football program after a three-week suspension.

Again, let’s review the KNOWN facts:

* Lynchburg Police arrested Chapman on Friday, Aug. 26 and charged him with one count each of felony cocaine possession and misdemeanor marijuana possession.

* Those charges were filed in Lynchburg General District Court on Tuesday, Aug. 30.

* Liberty’s football coaching staff was made aware of the charges and took action, and part of that action was for Chapman to immediately turn himself into the office of student affairs at Liberty, which is where the “self-reporting” came from in Monday’s press release on the matter. Chapman went to student affairs to inform them of what happened before student affairs was aware of the charges. Ergo, he self-reported.

* Rocco chose to suspend Chapman later that afternoon “indefinitely,” certainly allowing for the possibility of reinstatement.

* The school, the football program and the athletics department met with Chapman and his legal counsel, they learned as much information as possible, and the school chose to give Rocco the option to reinstate Chapman on Monday. As for what this information was, I don’t know. Rocco won’t comment on it, nor will the school, because of two things: 1. It’s an ongoing legal matter, and 2. There are privacy issues involved with college students that don’t allow for public discussion of legal issues. That would be the same if I had asked about a random student and not a popular football player.

* Also, police reports in Virginia are not public record, only the incident reports after an arrest. So I’m not privy to the information in the police report, and from what our police reporter tells me, the LPD is still withholding information on Chapman’s case pending an ongoing investigation.

* So those are the facts that I have to go on, and those are the facts I’ll report on. That said, here are Rocco’s comments from today’s press conference on Chapman. Afterward, we’ll move back into some game specific stuff for the upcoming game against Lehigh.

-- On the decision to reinstate Chapman:
“As we have spent time here gathering information, getting facts and going through university protocol, I have been put in a position here where I have the freedom to where I can make a decision on Asa’s future. I have decided to re-invest in Asa Chapman, to give him an opportunity to have a second chance. We’re certainly excited about Asa’s return to our football program.”

-- On what information that was gathered that changed his mind:
“The reality is there was a lot of information that was gathered. The issue is that I’m really not at the freedom to discuss the specifics of the information that allowed me to make that decision. In theory, when you suspend somebody indefinitely, I’m not changing my mind when I reinstate them. That’s why it’s worded ‘indefinitely‘. So I just responded at what I felt was the most appropriate time, based on the information that I had received.”

-- On the criticism being levied at the program for reinstating him while the felony charge is still outstanding:
“The only thing that I would say is that Asa’s situation was brought forward to our student conduct office, and Asa was treated as any other student at Liberty University. I wanted to offer Asa the same options that are available to the student body here. By Asa going forth to the student conduct office, that allowed this support system and this process to be put in place.”

-- On Rocco saying in Monday’s statement that Chapman had exceeded every expectation during the suspension:
“Asa has met with a number of different counselors. He’s received education, testing, has been advised through legal counsel. Asa has continued to condition and train on his own, away from the organization of our football team. Asa has been very active in our community, as far as hours of service. He’s been doing very well in school, in study hall, meeting all the expectations that would be set forth for a student or a student-athlete in his situation.”

-- When Rocco said “education and testing” in his previous quote on Chapman, I asked -- because of the nature of the charges against him -- if that testing included drug testing:
“I will opt not to answer that question.”

-- On the plan for Chapman in regards to Saturday at Lehigh:
“He will play. I will not start Asa in the football game, pending some injury that has not yet occurred. I would like to think he’ll be able to play in the neighborhood of 15 to 20 plays in this football game, and he appeared to be in good shape last night, good spirits last night. He certainly showed some fresh legs last night, having not been out there. At the end of practice when we conditioned, he looked like he was not quite up to speed with the rest of the team. I certainly have every intent of playing him, and I would like to see him make a contribution in the area of 15, 20-plus plays in this game.”

-- Was he concerned about the perception and the message that Chapman’s reinstatement sends to the rest of Liberty’s student body and alumni base:
“I think every decision that I make, I’m concerned about the perception. When I chose to take a penalty down at North Carolina State and chose to punt the football, you’re concerned about the perception. I make many decisions, every day. Every decision I make, I weigh the decision based on the information that I have, based on the individual that it’s affecting, and I move forward. Obviously, any time there are suspensions and then reinstatements, there will be public opinion. There’s public opinion on both sides of the fence, I’m sure. I am making this decision with, I believe, the support of the university, knowing that he has been through proper protocol. I would then envision this decision as being specific with any other decision that would be made on campus with any other student on campus as to his availability to participate in an activity. Really, that’s the reality of it, at this stage, in my opinion.”

-- Rocco was asked what he would think players would who would find themselves in a similar situation would take as a takeaway message from Chapman’s situation:
“I think the takeaway message, and maybe not specific to Asa, is that actions have consequences. Despite his reinstatement, this young man has been with some significant consequences in his life. People have been hurt by his decision. He was suspended for his decision. As a coach for 28 years, and as a father, two wrongs will never make a right. I do think that somewhere, there needs to be grace shown, a willingness to evaluate each situation specifically. This was a case, like all cases, that was looked at very specifically. Since the mistake was made, he’s shown great humility, remorse and great will and desire to make it right. Obviously, there are legal things that we don’t even know to talk about. But from a personal standpoint, there has to be growth, and there has to be change. Here at Liberty, we believe in offering support. That’s all we’re really doing. We’re supporting one of ours, a guy that made a mistake. For me to be criticized over that, I really don’t care. I really don’t care. I care for this young man. I have for a long time. People who know him care for him. He’s a good boy. He made a mistake. And he’s paying for it, trust me. Every day he wakes up, he’s paying for it.”

So that’s a wrap on Rocco’s comments on that matter. This blog post is getting very long, so a couple of quick hitters in regards to Saturday’s game:

-- K Matt Bevins (right quad injury) is doubtful to play, and he’s not even sure if he’ll make the trip to Pennsylvania. Alex Kacere and punter Mike Larsson will both get shots at placekicking duties, Rocco said.

-- FB Peter Gagliardi (ankle) won’t play Saturday. He injured his ankle in practice on Thursday.

-- WR Pat Kelly (hamstring) continues to be a game-time decision. He didn’t play until the second half against James Madison.