Rams back at practice amid probe

FO R TCO LLI N S » A sense of normalcy returned to Moby Arena on Friday morning.

If only for just a couple of hours.

Colorado State men’s basketball players returned to the court in preparation for a home game against San Jose State on Saturday. The players boycotted practice Thursday because of what they said was frustration with the lack of communication from athletic director Joe Parker as he made a “climate assessment” of the program. A week ago he put coach Larry Eustachy on paid administrative leave. Parker released a statement late Thursday that CSU “will be meeting with our men’s basketball team to update them on the situation.”

Parker initiated those conversations before practice Friday, according to a team source, to inform the players where the school stands in its investigation of long-running allegations of player and staff abuse under Eustachy. The Denver Post reported Thursday that CSU intends to terminate Eustachy’s contract. Parker issued a statement Thursday night that said: “Our collections of data to inform the assessment is nearly complete, pending our conversation with Coach Eustachy. Coach Eustachy and his representatives are unable to meet with us until early next week.”

Parker said CSU “intends to resolve this as soon as possible.”

At issue likely will be a buyout clause in Eustachy’s contract valued at just more than $3 million — if fired without cause. The negotiation of that sum probably will hinge on the conclusion and legality of CSU’s internal investigation into whether Eustachy broke the terms of a zero tolerance policy he signed in 2014 after admissions of abusive behavior toward players and staff. Former CSU athletic trainer Mac MacDonald told The Denver Post that “in the following seasons, Eustachy again started attacking players.”

CSU’s players and coaches haven’t been made available to reporters since Tuesday night’s loss at Air Force. The Rams (10-16, 3-10 Mountain West) will be trying to snap a seven-game losing streak Saturday at Moby Arena against San Jose State (3-19, 0-11).