PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University wide receiver Kassidy Woods said on Tuesday that he is not satisfied with head coach Nick Rolovich’s statement about the controversy surrounding their private phone call over the weekend.
During the call on Saturday, Woods believed he’d been cut from the team for joining the #WeAreUnited movement.
Players from the Pac-12 formed the #WeAreUnited group to make demands related to the Black Lives Matter Movement, COVID-19 and compensation.
If Pac-12 schools don’t meet the demands, players in the group won't play.
Woods told Rolovich during a private phone call that he would be opting out of the 2020 season for health concerns, but that he would also be involved with the players' group.
During the conversation, the head coach said that there's a difference between opting out for coronavirus versus opting out because of the players' group.
"I regret that my words cautioning Kassidy have become construed as opposition," Rolovich said in part of the statement last night.
After reading Rolovich's full statement, Woods' opinion hasn't changed.
Woods said on Tuesday there's no difference between picking one or the other because the movement is happening because of coronavirus.
Woods went on to say he feels his playing time at Washington State is over because his locker has been cleared out and he’s been removed from the team's group text chat.
“They took the protocol you would take to cut somebody and that’s what happened to me," he said. "Still to this day they have not reached to me to you know basically clear things up and give it clarity. I didn’t say I wanted to be off the team: I just said I’m not trying to participate in any games. I’m opting out to play in games. “
Rolovich said in his statement that he supports WSU football players that support the #WeAreUnited movement. However, those players can only be part of team activities if they choose to play this season.
This is the case with defensive lineman Lamonte McDougle. He has publicly supported the players' group movement, but will opt to play this season for the Cougs.
Woods' future status with WSU is uncertain. The school hasn't addressed it. As of now, his name is still on the online roster.