This is really weird the Head Coach is not speaking on signing day. Is the athletic department asking Coach Martin not to speak to press or is he choosing not to speak due to the investigating still going on.
Post by CrimsonPhantom on Feb 5, 2020 18:27:34 GMT -7
LAS CRUCES - Most college football programs recognize National Signing Day with press conferences and lots of fanfare, giving coaches and supporters the chance to tout their prize recruits.
But National Signing Day at New Mexico State was decidedly muted this year, with officials deciding to forego a press conference on Wednesday.
The quieter signing day could be because the program's head coach is being investigated for misconduct. The allegations against Doug Martin came to light in December.
The head coach, nor any assistant coaches, were made available to the media on National Signing Day as the Aggies signed five players for the 2020 roster.
For comparison, the Aggies signed 10 players on national signing day last season.
"It is my understanding from the football staff that (the ongoing investigation) has significantly hampered their recruiting efforts," NM State Athletics Director Mario Moccia said.
New Mexico State submitted a preliminary, yet incomplete report to the Attorney General's Office on Jan. 15.
It remains unclear if New Mexico State has submitted a full report. Attempts to confirm the AG's Office had received a complete report from either the state or the university were unsuccessful.
NMSU General Counsel Roy Collins wrote that the university took the complaints cited by the state in a Dec. 5 letter seriously and submitted a preliminary executive summary of the Carillo Law Firm's investigation into the New Mexico State football program in order to "demonstrate NMSU's good faith in immediately initiating a confidential internal investigation into alleged employee misconduct and proceeding the investigation toward closure."
The same letter also admitted they had yet to meet with a key witness, but that the investigation would be completed by the end of the following week, which was Jan. 24.
Collins' letter also explained the final report would include student information, protected by the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act and required NMSU to obtain a subpoena before its disclosure, and that it was an internal investigation into alleged employee misconduct, therefore confidential and privileged under New Mexico law.
On Jan. 30, the AG's Office responded to a Sun-News records request for:
"Any documents submitted by Raul A. Carrillo and/or the Carrillo Law Firm pertaining to the investigation into New Mexico State football coach Doug Martin and the New Mexico State University football program. Any documents from New Mexico State University general counsel and the Office of the Attorney General regarding the aforementioned investigation.โ
The Sun-News received 16 pages, but Carrillo's report was not among them. The AG's office noted they withheld 17 pages "as they contain information identifying confidential sources, methods or information and individuals accused but not charged with a crime."
As of Wednesday, the Attorney General's Office had not confirmed it had received NMSU's completed report. New Mexico State also did not confirm the completed report had been submitted after several requests made to administrators and general counsel.