WSU to look into allegations of 'abuse' by Mike Leach and his staff

Washington State University President Dr. Elson S. Floyd is asking his own athletic department and the Pac-12 to look into abuse allegations from former wide receiver Marquess Wilson.

In a scathing letter sent to various media outlets just a few hours prior to the Washington St. Cougars' game against the UCLA Bruins Saturday, Wilson accused head coach Mike Leach and his coaching staff of "physical, emotional and verbal abuse." Wilson didn't cite specific examples in his letter but his stepfather, Richard Miranda, said there was an incident at halftime during the game against the Utah Utes where coaches were "physical, putting their hands on players, pushing them into lockers."

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott happened to be in Pullman on Saturday night and met with Floyd to discuss the matter. He didn't give a timeline for how long the investigation would take, but said the conference wants to deal with it as quickly as possible while also being thorough.

Wilson was suspended indefinitely from the team last week after reportedly walking out of practice Sunday night. Athletic director Bill Moos had said their might be a way for Wilson to rejoin the team, a statement Wilson said in his letter was a lie.

Wilson was a preseason All-American and is WSU's all-time leading receiver in yards, passing Brandon Gibson earlier this year.