Once a landlubberly Northwestern quartermain, now ponderin' on the mortifyin', dishonorin', and mortifyin' hazing I be sufferin'!
2023-07-19
Arr, a scallywag from the Northwestern football crew claims he can't even lay eyes on a round ball, matey! The lad be plagued with anxiety from sufferin' the ol' hazing when he sailed among the team.
In a recent interview with the Chicago Tribune, former Northwestern football player Lloyd Yates opened up about the hazing he endured while on the team. Yates, who went from being a quarterback in the Big Ten to not being able to watch football at all, described the incidents as acts of sexual misconduct and degrading behavior. He expressed his belief that these actions were seen as normal within the culture of college football and that Northwestern University has work to do in order to address and eliminate this culture.Yates shared specific details of the hazing, including being ambushed by multiple players who would hold him down and dry-hump him. He also mentioned an incident where he was forced to simulate a snap with a center, both of them naked, before going out to practice. These experiences left him feeling humiliated, dehumanized, and anxious. The trauma caused by the hazing even led him to lose his love for the sport of football.
An investigation into the hazing resulted in a two-week suspension for head coach Pat Fitzgerald, but he has since been fired as more accusations came to light. Although the investigation did not find concrete evidence that Fitzgerald knew about the hazing, former players are adamant that he did. Fitzgerald has hired legal counsel in response.
Yates entered Northwestern as a backup quarterback and later transitioned to wide receiver. Despite playing in two games during his redshirt sophomore season, he did not record any statistics.
Overall, Yates' brave decision to speak out about his experiences sheds light on the dark side of college football and the need for institutions to address hazing incidents.