UW suspends receiver Davis
Sophomore will miss Badgers’ first two games
MADISON – Wisconsin sophomore wide receiver Danny Davis has been suspended for the first two games of the Badgers' football season for his connection to sexual assault charges against teammate Quintez Cephus.
“It’s like parenting in a sense that you know what’s the right thing," Chryst told reporters after practice on Wednesday. "And then you make sure (they know).
“I think there are standards that you want to uphold . ... And I think as long as you’re communicating it … then you can move forward."
Davis' suspension came a day after UW officials postponed Chryst's media availability so additional information on allegations made against Cephus and Davis could be gathered.
Cephus faces two counts of sexual assault stemming from an alleged incident in April and is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
He has been suspended under UW’s Student-Athlete Discipline Policy.
According to the criminal complaint against Cephus, Davis was present at
the time of the April incident and took at least one photo of one of the two women involved. He has not been charged with any crimes.
UW officials were aware of the investigation that led to the sexual assault charges against Cephus.
Chryst on Wednesday declined to clarify when he learned of Davis' alleged involvement.
"I'm not going to comment further on that," he said.
Chryst added he felt the two-game suspension was appropriate. However, he noted in the statement released before he spoke to reporters that Davis' suspension could be increased.
“Should further information become available that warrants a reevaluation of the length of the suspension, I will assess that information," he said in the release.
During the suspension, Davis will be allowed to practice with the team but will not be available for games.
News of the charges against Cephus first came out Saturday when he announced via Twitter he was leaving the team indefinitely because he anticipated being charged. He wrote that he had been "wrongfully accused of unlawful conduct and I am innocent of any allegations associated with this consensual relationship."
Cephus missed UW’s final five games last season after suffering a broken leg at Indiana but still led the team in receiving touchdowns (six), finished second in receiving yards (501) and third in catches (30).
Davis finished with 26 catches for 418 yards and five touchdowns.
UW will open the 2018 season Aug. 31 against visiting Western Kentucky.
With Cephus and Davis unavailable, UW enters the season with two experienced wide receivers – junior A.J. Taylor and redshirt sophomore Kendric Pryor.
Taylor, who missed several days in camp after suffering an ankle injury, finished second on the team in catches (31) and third in receiving yards (475) last season. He had five touchdown catches, tied for the No. 2 mark on the team.
Pryor missed four games because of injury and finished with 13 catches for 179 yards and a touchdown.
Beyond that trio are walk-ons Adam Krumholz and Jack Dunn and freshmen Aron Cruickshank and Taj Mustapha.
"We’ve just got to keep helping them grow and develop," Chryst said.
Cruickshank and Mustapha enrolled early at UW and took part in spring ball.
"They know more now and are more comfortable now than they were in April," Chryst said.
Chryst addressed the issue of whether the suspensions of Cephus and Davis will prove to be harmful distractions for the team, which has been ranked No. 4 in the AP writers' preseason poll and No. 7 in the Amway coaches' poll.
"Certainly, this is unique for this group," he said. "But you try to focus on the things that you can – not control – but impact. I think our group has done a good job of that.
"I don’t think you ever go through a season without distractions. There’s all different forms of it and you just try to focus on the day-to-day.
“I think that is where the group has been good and we’ve got to continue to do that."