What about “unidentified punishments” for BYU's Miami Beach Bowl brawlers in the aftermath of the Cougars' double-overtime dance with Memphis? Well, it’s understandable.
Since the much-publicized brawl last December, well-documented in high definition, both schools have conducted investigations — interviewing players, reviewing video and even comparing notes. Both administrations discussed variables and the matrix of the brawl and worked together in sharing discovery results.
Apparently both schools decided punishments were warranted. Memphis released a statement that 12 players would be punished. BYU simply said it would handle its business internally.
I’m not surprised this was handled that way. When BYU talked to Memphis officials, I’d wager BYU made mention of its new policy, hatched last year, that school officials would not confirm nor deny by name specific student-athletes who are disciplined for breaking the school’s honor code. Handling the aftermath of the brawl in this way maintains that policy.
BYU could have given more specifics, like Memphis did, but it did not. Ever since announcing the suspension of senior linebacker Spencer Hadley in the fall of 2013, the school is out of the “announcing student-athlete punishment” business.
People will know soon enough who some of the disciplined athletes are by their absence from games and practices.
But there are a myriad ways schools and specifically football teams discipline players and it doesn’t always involve the ultimate penalty — missing games through suspension.
As winter semester began almost two weeks ago, some of these penalties could have been already meted out. They could involve extra running (including stairs), being prohibited from attending team functions, being suspended from winter workouts with the team and trainers, missing spring practice, missing part or all of fall camp, or missing part of a game or an entire game or two.
Such punishments — specifically the extra running, ups and downs, pushups, wind sprints and other physical demands — are routine and carried out every week. They are handed out for everything from an untidy locker, not dressing properly for practice, or being late to meetings, to missing classes. Last fall, we learned of receiver Devon Blackmon being punished for wearing an earring, a violation of the school’s honor code.
It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to realize there were different levels of involvement in the postseason brawl and penalties to players will not all be the same. Some will never be known unless a player or family member speaks out. Others will be obvious when the time comes.
And remember, the brawl involved only a fraction of both teams, where punches were thrown and others were trying to break up the fisticuffs.
What is known is that BYU officials and the school's governing board of trustees were not happy campers about the incident. Discussions and phone calls took place immediately after that game, according to sources close to the situation.
BYU's new vice president over athletics, Matthew Richardson, who replaced elevated president Kevin Worthen, received the assignment of interviewing and investigating and he did so within a few days of the bowl game, according to players who participated.
Discussions included inquiries into what started the brawl, identifying those involved and how seriously they took it, whether it was coming to the aid of a teammate or seeking out a target and engaging in an assault.
This behind-the-curtain handling of this situation may draw criticism by some, praise by others.
Bottom line is BYU got serious real fast about this incident. It may not have been the first to publicly announce it, as Memphis did, but there has been plenty of sleep lost over this.
The fact is that this is a school with so many layers, the wheels don’t spin or twirl, they slide and skid from one place to another. Decisions ping off of organizational chart dots to different levels at the speed of horse and buggy in the Internet age of light speed.
It’s different. It’s not how the world does it. It’s just the way BYU rolls.
Dick Harmon, Deseret News sports columnist, can be found on Twitter as Harmonwrites and can be contacted at dharmon@desnews.com.