Will he or won’t he play? The ongoing saga of Clemson sophomore DeAndre McDaniel has been a heated topic all summer, particularly when it comes to his continued presence on the team.
But even with public perception of the decision drawing criticism in some circles, Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips has remained steadfast in the athletic department’s policy when dealing with such situations.
For those living under a rock, McDaniel was arrested in June with charges of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, and was allowed a month later to remain in school following a hearing with the university’s judicial review board.
The latest turn in the story came Monday, when McDaniel confirmed he had applied for pre-trial intervention, which could have his charges eventually wiped away, with the victim, ex-girlfriend Abra Weeks, not planning to pursue a civil suit.
Bowden will wait to make further decisions until hearing from 13th Circuit Solicitor Bob Ariail on McDaniel’s legal status, as he could still be turned down for the program.
Clemson University athletic department policy allows coaches, such as Bowden in this case, to make recommendations as to a player’s participation when disciplinary issues are raised, which have to be approved by the athletic director.
That can lead to public skepticism, but Phillips, who didn’t want to specifically address the McDaniel situation on Tuesday afternoon, defended the policy in the face of criticism.
“I understand perception is a huge part of our business, a huge part,”
he said. “But it can't be when making these kind of decisions that impact young people's lives. I think you have to be very careful, but also understand the perception side of it.”
And part of the trust Phillips puts into coaches’ decisions, in all sports, depends greatly on the athlete in question, their discipline record, as well the team’s discipline record, giving the system a sort of flexibility that is also a sticking point amongst critics.
But it’d take a rare situation for Phillips to suspend policy and override a coaches’ recommendation.
“I don't believe you have to draw the line in the sand unless there are situations that would suggest that a particular program or a particular individual doesn't deserve that consideration,”
Phillips said.
And while nothing is set in stone for McDaniel’s status for the Tigers’ season opener against Alabama at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Aug. 30, there is little reason to think Phillips will get any more involved in the case with his trust in Bowden.
Even in the face of public skepticism, Phillips feels certain any of his coaches, with the athletic department’s approval, will do the right thing and not be swayed by forces outside the university.
“At the end of the day, I would hope we're trying to do the correct thing and not let public opinion or public perception totally rule how we're going to decide something,”
he said.
