Shootings on the minds of players, coaches

DALLAS — When Justis Nelson arrived at Big 12 Media Days on July 18, the Texas Tech wide receiver was aware of his surroundings.

It was less than half-mile away from the Omni Dallas where five police officers were killed and nine others injured during an ambush-style shooting by a gunman following what had been a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest.

Those events — and the police shootings of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota as well as the recent killing of three Baton Rouge, La., police officers — were on the minds of plenty of players and coaches at last week’s event.

Nelson’s perspective was unlike any other player at the event.

Nelson’s parents were both police officers. His name comes from his parents’ backgrounds in law enforcement. His mother, Sherryl Scott, was a Deputy Chief for the Dallas Police Department. Nelson aspires to be a Dallas police officer.

“It’s hit close to home,” Nelson said.

Big 12 players who spoke with The Oklahoman last week said almost universally that they hadn’t had any bad experiences with police officers or harbored ill

feelings toward law enforcement. Most said the problem on both sides was about respecting the other.

But Nelson said there are players on his team with a negative view of police.

“Some of the team gives me a rough time because they don’t like police officers and all that,” Nelson said. “I always tell them that I’ll be the first police officer that they’ll like.”

Kansas coach David Beaty also has a unique viewpoint.

Beaty’s father, Buford, was a Dallas police officer. Buford Beaty was behind Lee Harvey Oswald when Jack Ruby shot John F. Kennedy’s assassin in the basement of the Dallas Police headquarters.

David Beaty started his remarks Monday by addressing the situation.

“My heart hurts for the Dallas communities and for communities across the country that are suffering and in pain right now,” Beaty said. “I pray that we will begin to listen to one another, love one another and get to the hard work of healing our nation.

“To the issues that we’re facing right now, I believe that college football can be an example in the midst of struggles in America. Young men from all walks of life, different backgrounds coming together, listening to one another, working hard together, learning from one another, fighting together for a common goal. I think society can learn a lot from these young men.”

That was evident with the Oklahoma contingent.

The Sooners brought linebacker Jordan Evans, quarterback Baker Mayfield, running back Samaje Perine and defensive back Ahmad Thomas.

The group represented players from big cities such as Miami (Thomas) a pair of Austin-area players and Evans, who grew up in Norman. Two black players, a white player and a biracial player made up the OU contingent.

The Sooners football team was front-and-center in the protests on OU’s campus after a video emerged of fraternity members singing a racist chant.

“Coming from a biracial home, you never choose black vs. white,” Evans said. “I always just choose what’s right and what’s wrong — what I believe is morally right, according to the Bible.

“I believe what’s going on, it’s sad to see. I wish people would just choose what’s right to do. What we experienced on this campus, it seemed like a black vs. white issue, but if you ask the guys, it was right vs. wrong. We believe what happened was wrong. We all stood up for what we believed was right, and you saw a good outcome come from that.”

Oklahoma State safety Jordan Sterns hasn’t kept quiet either.

“I think that together as people, we can do a lot better job of speaking up,” Sterns said. “Especially those with somewhat of a platform.”

The day after the shootings in Dallas, Sterns tweeted referencing the shootings and saying he hoped for a people to come together instead of be divided.

“Love cures all,” Sterns posted.

In Dallas, Sterns shared similar sentiments to the ones Beaty talked about.

“I’m sure everybody’s on edge, regardless of where it’s at,” Sterns said when asked if the tensions could be felt in Stillwater. “All this stuff is on social media, so it’s not too hard to get access to it.

“That’s why football is such a good thing. You’ve got people from all different backgrounds, black and white, and you see them come together, and it’s an amazing thing. That’s why as athletes, we can stand up and be a voice.”

How change comes about is a more difficult problem to tackle. Sterns said it’s simple. “People just need to love, man,” he said. “Honestly, love is the biggest thing. If we could just all not judge each other — which can be kinda hard because we’re all a little judgmental in our own sense — but if we could get to know people.

“We have a Bible study for the football team, and we’re trying to get all kind of people to come out just to show that people come from all different backgrounds. Just walk up and be around a different group of people other than yourself. Shake their hand, get to know them and just learn life. How did you grow up, and I’ll tell you how I grew up.”