The Oklahoma football team will take a stance on the racially-charged controversy on the OU campus by wearing black for its practices upon returning from spring break, and will also demonstrate silently on Owen Field Thursday instead of practicing.
Quarterback Trevor Knight released a statement from the team via Twitter Thursday, which read in part:
"We have not practiced this week, and will not be practicing today as we will demonstrate silently on Owen Field during our normal practice time. We will not forget about this during spring break, and upon our return to the practice field on Monday, March 23, we will continue to address this issue in our media opportunities and by wearing black during our practices."
Racial tension on the campus sprung from a social media video of two Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity members singing a racist chant on a bus. The school acted swiftly in closing the SAE fraternity chapter and expelling two students who led the chant. An Oklahoma recruit has also backed off a commitment to the Sooners since the incident.
The players also expressed their desire to see the school's investigation continue: "We would like to urge the university to continue to investigate the Executive Board of SAE, and we trust that this investigation has already begun. It is our passionately expressed desire as members of the football team for the leadership of SAE to be expelled, suspended, or otherwise disciplined severely."
According to the OU statement, the team's decision has the full support of coach Bob Stoops.
"We cannot express how grateful we are to Coach Stoops and the coaching staff for supporting each and every action we have taken, even when these actions may have seemed extreme. We simply cannot wait to get back on the practice field in our pursuit of a national championship, but even a national championship is not more important than using our platform as student athletes to make our university and our nation a better place."
Players also marched on campus Monday.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
