Northwestern State University of Louisiana President Marcus Jones said in a phone interview with The Current Sauce that he stands by his decision to cancel the football season and looked ahead to the future of NSU football. He reaffirmed his decision to cancel the four remaining games of the season and confirmed to The Current Sauce that the university has hired a search firm to find the next head coach.
In the interview, President Jones acknowledges the disappointment and the anger of fans, players, students and the community, but he said that the decision was best for the student athletes.
“I still go back to the fact that the decision that was made was made with the interest of our student athletes and their health and safety in mind. And had we had any other options we would have taken it, but this was the best decision,” he said.
President Jones had only one regret. “I wish that we were not in this position to have to make the decision,” he said, “and the only regret is that I wish that they [the football team] had been collectively brought together and talked to.”
President Jones also clarified how the administration decided to cancel the season.
“We consulted with our counselors, we consulted with other institutions who have dealt with issues with death and trauma on their campus,” he said. “We also consulted with a firm that deals with crisis management. We consulted with legal counsel on the matter. We consulted with our staff and the Southland Conference, which Northwestern is a part of.”
His focus now is on the future of NSU football.
“We are starting the process of looking for a new head coach. We have engaged a search firm to help with the process,” President Jones said. “We hope to have a new head coach fairly soon.”
A transcript of the full interview can be found here.