UNFORTUNATE

UMass Football Coach Suspended for Likening Uncalled Penalty to ‘Rape’

He has apologized and will be out for a week without pay.

The head football coach at the University of Massachusetts was suspended for a week without pay Sunday after he used the term “rape” to describe what he perceived as an uncalled penalty during his team’s game against Ohio University. “We had a chance there with 16 down and they rape us, and he picks up the flag,” Whipple said, while tearing into the referees during a press conference after the game. When asked specifically about the play, Whipple slightly changed his terminology, claiming that one of his players was “absolutely mugged.” On Sunday, the university tweeted a statement addressing Whipple’s language. “On behalf of our department, I truly apologize for the comments made by Head Coach Mark Whipple on Saturday after our game at Ohio,” Director of Athletics Ryan Bamford said. “His reference to rape was highly inappropriate, insensitive, and inexcusable under any circumstance.” Whipple also apologized in the statement, writing: “It is unacceptable to make use of the word ‘rape’ in the way I did and I am very sorry for doing so. It represents a lack of responsibility on my part as the leader of this program and a member of this university’s community, and I am disappointed with myself that I made this comparison when commenting after our game.”