OVER THE LINE

FSU Fan Under Investigation for Meme Promoting Lynching of School’s Football Coach

The university’s president called the post “ignorant and despicable.”

A Florida State University fan is under investigation for posting a meme of the school’s football coach being lynched, Florida State President John Thrasher announced Sunday. After coach Willie Taggart, who is black, led the team to an underwhelming 5-7 first season under his watch—which included a Saturday loss to rival University of Florida—a disgruntled fan allegedly took to Facebook to post the grotesque image, which has since been removed. The image was accompanied by the words “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing your rep,” a thinly veiled play on Colin Kaepernick’s Nike slogan. Thrasher issued a statement condemning the post as “ignorant and despicable.” “I speak for the entire FSU community in expressing our disgust and extreme disappointment, and I am glad the state attorney is investigating,” he said. He added that Taggart “has our full support” and remains a “respected member of the FSU family.”