Domestic violence has been a prevalent issue in the football universe in recent weeks, mostly at the professional level, but ASU football players have banded together to combat the issue.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and on Monday, the team announced via Twitter that its leadership council asked student athletes to join together.
#DontDoIt #SunDevilBrotherhood pic.twitter.com/hRkfEqW2uQ
— Sun Devil Football (@FootballASU) October 6, 2014
Using the hashtags #DontDoIt and #SunDevilBrotherhood, players posted images while holding hand-written signs explaining why each player is pledging to stop domestic violence.
Redshirt senior quarterback Taylor Kelly was the first to join the campaign, followed by senior kicker Alex Garoutte, freshman running back Demario Richard and redshirt senior offensive lineman Chip Sarafin, among others.
In his post, Kelly wrote, "Women in my life have made me who I am!", while Richard wrote, "I don't like seeing women disrespected."
#DontDoIt #SunDevilBrotherhood pic.twitter.com/8IOXQe8miA
— Sun Devil Football (@FootballASU) October 6, 2014
NFL running back Ray Rice was caught in a media firestorm this fall after a video of him hitting his then-fiancée in a casino elevator was released, and Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer was charged with domestic assault after reportedly headbutting his girlfriend.
In the college ranks, the NCAA only has authority to dictate whether or not players can compete based on academic eligibility and rules compliance but have no power over domestic violence-related matters.
According to NCAA president Mark Emmert, those issues are a campus matter.
The last time ASU dealt with domestic violence issues was in the case of Nduka "Junior" Onyeali.
Onyeali allegedly smashed his girlfriend's head into a car windshield with a wooden board in May 2013 and was subsequently dismissed from the team.
Reach the sports editor at icbeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @ICBeck21
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