Update (6:29 p.m.) — This story has been updated to clarify Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy's unwillingness to directly comment on Joe Mixon or Oklahoma.
DALLAS — As expected, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops was hit with a question at Big 12 Media Days regarding OU’s handling of the Joe Mixon and Frank Shannon situations.
Mixon, infamously, was caught on video punching a female student in Pickleman’s on Campus Corner in Norman. Although the tape was never released to the public, the freshman was suspended for the entire 2014 season.
Shannon, on the other hand, was accused of violating Title IX when he was accused of sexually assaulting a female student in his off-campus apartment. Although he was never charged, he was expelled from the university for a year. According to teammate Zack Sanchez, Shannon rejoined the team in late May.
“There's not only domestic violence, but there's violence towards women, there's violence in general,” Stoops said. “None of it should be tolerated and it has been disciplined.
“We disciplined in a certain way depending on the circumstances we have, and these guys have had significant penalties.”
OU’s handling of Mixon’s case has been called into question over the last few weeks after Florida State quarterback De’Andre Johnson was dismissed from the program following a nearly identical incident. Johnson’s video was released to the public, however.
“They've had a lot of other internal measures to meet and to stand — to right up to, and if all those were met, then they had the opportunity to redeem themselves and hopefully grow from their experience,” Stoops said.
As an educational institution, Stoops said it is the university's responsibility to help and rehabilitate cases such as Shannon and Mixon, rather than just let them go.
“But they also know that we have some very high standards for them to meet and if they're not met, then they won't be with us any longer,” Stoops said.
Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight said he feels the coaching staff and administration handled the two situations correctly.
“Every single incident is different,” Knight said. “People want to compare this to that and how we handle things. But I think every incident is different. They look at all parts of everything and make an informed decision. That’s way above my paygrade.”
Texas coach Charlie Strong has a reputation for a zero-nonsense policy within his program. Soon after arriving in Austin, Strong instituted his five core values — honesty, treating women with respect, and no drugs, stealing or guns.
Before his first season even began, Strong had dismissed nine players from Texas.
When Strong addressed the media from the podium, he was asked about big-name players transferring schools after getting in trouble.
“I'm all into giving guys second chances but I want to give guys on my team second chances, not someone else from another program,” Strong said.
On the other hand, had Mixon been a Longhorn when his incident occurred, Strong said he would not have let him stay with the program.
“I can’t help you there,” Strong said. “It you hit a young lady — that’s how it’s always been if you hit a young lady. I’ll help you go somewhere else but you can’t play for me.”
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy ran into a similar situation in December 2014. Less than a week after he was crowned a Bedlam hero, Cowboys running back Tyreek Hill was arrested on complaints he assaulted his girlfriend, allegedly striking her in the face and stomach.
Gundy refused to directly compare the Hill and Mixon incidents, however.
"Well, the first thing is it wouldn't be fair for me to comment on [the Mixon incident] for a variety of reasons," he said. "Bob's a good friend of mine. I have a lot of people at Oklahoma. It's an in-state school. Every situation's different. He wouldn't comment on Tyreek and I'm not going to comment on that."
Regardless, Gundy and the Cowboys wasted no time dismissing Hill from the program.
“There’s certain things right now that aren’t up for debate with Oklahoma State football and [domestic assault] is one of them,” Gundy said. “But they’re told that before they start.”
Gundy acknowledged all people, especially kids like Hill, get into trouble. He said life is about second and third chances.
“But there’s just some things that are kind of frowned upon right now in society and it’s been made very clear before the season started — there’s just not really two sides to the story,” Gundy said.
Despite how frequently he has had to defend the university's handling of the two cases, Stoops refused to disclose whether he would make the same decisions with Mixon and Shannon today if he had to do it all over again.
“The decisions were a year ago and it’s different,” Stoops said. “Like I said, all circumstances are always different in a lot of cases. You can’t paint them all with one single brush.
“In the end they have been disciplined and they’re doing what they can to earn their way back with strict guidelines moving forward."
