MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon was made available to the media Tuesday for the first time since he punched Amelia Molitor in the face July 26, 2014.
However, he refused to answer all non-football questions.
Mixon was suspended for the entire 2014 football season and was charged with one misdemeanor count of acts resulting in gross injury. He accepted a plea deal that came with a one-year deferred sentence along with mandatory counseling and 100 hours of community service.
Flanked by OU sports information director Mike Houck and an Orange Bowl representative, Mixon, a former five-star recruit, sat down at his table at media day Tuesday, pulled out his cell phone and took a selfie with media members in the background.
Moments before, the Orange Bowl representative told the media to stick to football questions only and that those who did not would be asked to step away from the table.
However, another Orange Bowl representative later said the threat of removal did not officially come from the bowl nor OU.
Joe Mixon on what he learned during his season-long suspension... Only answered football questions. #Sooners pic.twitter.com/F1hwXfKZX2
— Brady Vardeman (@BradyVardeman) December 29, 2015Mixon's unwillingness to speak on the incident was apparent from the very beginning of the interview.
"First off, all I got to say is I'm here to answer all football questions, nothing else for anything, no situation but football," he said before answering any questions.
Mixon was a five-star recruit when he hit Molitor and was forced to sit out a year, which he technically redshirted.
Upon returning to the field in 2015, he rushed for 749 yards, second-most on the team, and seven touchdowns. He caught four more scores, as well.
Despite on-field production, the only public media appearance Mixon made since that infamous night in Pickleman's Cafe came on an OU-sponsored television show, where he and fellow running back Samaje Perine were asked exclusively football questions.
Many media members attempted to ask Mixon non-football questions anyway Tuesday, although they were usually shut down by Houck or Mixon himself.
"You keep asking me. It's not going to happen," Mixon said with a chuckle. "Like I told you, it's not going to happen."
Nobody was removed from the table.
Mixon was asked if he wanted to speak to the media at all since his incident. He said "a little bit."
"I wanted to talk to them a little bit so they can get to know who I am. Other than that, no," he said.
Reporter: How would you describe yourself? Joe Mixon: A great person. #Sooners pic.twitter.com/HbHXW2siWA
— Brady Vardeman (@BradyVardeman) December 29, 2015Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione said Mixon's legal counsel prevented Mixon from answering non-football questions Tuesday. However, he refrained from discussing if he believed Mixon should answer such questions.
"What I think really doesn't apply because I don't have the legal recourse to make that happen," Castiglione said. "My opinion matters in ways that I can control. That particular legal restriction is controlled by his counsel."
On the other hand, Mixon said he was the one who made the call to stick to football simply because he wanted to. He refused to go into further detail.
"Because you're just going to have to respect that you're only going to get football questions," he said. "Why are you asking me that question?"
"My lawyer will address it," he said later.
#Sooners AD Joe Castiglione said decision to not let Joe Mixon answer non-football Qs was made by legal counsel. pic.twitter.com/MmYrrWCHJ4
— Brady Vardeman (@BradyVardeman) December 29, 2015Mixon made clear he didn't want to answer non-football questions. When asked if he should, however, Mixon indicated he had a problem with the time and place.
"Not here," he said.
Does he owe college football fans answers?
"No, not here," he said.
It went as far as a reporter flat-out asking Mixon if he had any regrets, to which he quickly responded "no."
When he spoke about his year away from the field, Mixon said he spent it bettering himself. In one of his longest answers of the day, he said he worked out at the OU rec center with his dad, who was in Norman for several months after the incident.
But at the end of the day, Mixon just wants to focus on football and this season.
"It was hard, like I said. You learn a lot of things and move forward, be positive," he said.
Reporter: Do you have any regrets at all, to anything, Joe? Joe Mixon: No. #Sooners pic.twitter.com/ciNevjTuc6
— Brady Vardeman (@BradyVardeman) December 29, 2015
