The Nebraska football team, as well as the athletic department, has clarified what they knew and when they knew it when it comes to the situation surrounding Maurice Washington. After the original story about Washington started making the rounds on social media, there were more than a few people who balked at the revelation that the Cornhuskers knew about the situation dating all the way back to early fall, but still allowed the freshman running back to play all season long. Now, the AD's office has made it clear they knew something was afoot, but not why.

Nebraska football kept largely in the dark

On Monday afternoon, the university issued an official release that appears to explain why nothing was said about the situation with Washington until a report surfaced out of the Bay Area. "Last fall we were contacted by the Nebraska Attorney General's office and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln police department and made aware that officials in California were interested in interviewing Maurice Washington about a prior incident," the release begins, "Details were not shared and there was no additional follow up with the Nebraska Athletic Department."

Assuming that is the truth, and there's no reason to believe it isn't, those facts appear to answer the very real question of "what were the coaches thinking." It appears that for all they knew, whatever reason there was to talk to the running back, it had gone away on its own.

The University has also said that more recently, likely in the last couple of days, that they were made aware charges might be filed.

Questions continue to surround the Maurice Washington situation

While some people assumed the coaching staff had swept something under the rug, it appears there was simply nothing to do until the Nebraska football team got more information.

The real question should be why the authorities in California didn't bother to follow up in any way. Certainly, an investigation that on its face, appears to be one that can be cut and dried, has quite a few questions surrounding it.

At issue is Maurice Washington's ex-girlfriend, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a couple of her classmates.

The video recorded the assault and circulated it around the school. In March, Washington allegedly sent the video the girl with a rather unpleasant message attached. Because of those actions, and the fact that she was only 15, there are chances he could be charged with both distributing child pornography and violating California's "revenge porn" statutes.
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