NORMAN, Okla., March 12 (UPI) -- The University of Oklahoma football team has held silent protests instead of practices this week in response to the release of a video showing fraternity members taking part in a racist chant.
OU quarterback Trevor Knight issued a lengthy statement on behalf of the team on his Twitter account explaining the group's decision.
"We have not practiced this week, and will not be practicing today as we will demonstrate silently on Owen Field during our normal practice time," he wrote in a post Thursday. "We will not forget about this during spring break, and upon our return to the practice field Monday, March 23, we will continue to address this issue in our media opportunities by wearing black during our practices."
The statement expressed gratitude for University President David Boren's "swift and decisive actions following the controversy." It also thanked the team's coach, Bob Stoops, and staff, "for wholeheartedly supporting our decision as a team."
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"As a team, our goal first and foremost is to raise awareness of racism and discrimination on college campuses nationwide," the statement read. "These types of incidents occur nationwide every single year, and our hope is to shed light on this issue and promote meaningful change at a national level."
This isn't the first time Knight has expressed loyalty to the school after the racist video became public over the weekend.
"Extremely proud of our guys right now for the way WE have handled this issue!" he posted Monday on Twitter. "I love this university and I love this team! #WeAreOne."
That's a far cry from the reaction of Sooners football recruit Jean Delance, who de-committed from the team after the controversy became public.
"Firstly want to say thank you for giving me an opportunity to get my education and play football at OU, but I have officially de-committed from Oklahoma University. Nothing to do with the staff or team, I'll be reopening my recruitment due to personal reasons," he said Monday in a statement on Twitter.
"Very uneducated people. I wouldn't want my son or child to go there or to anywhere like that. It was just very disturbing to me I didn't like it," the Mesquite, Texas, high school junior later told KTVT-TV, Dallas.
Delance has since committed to the University of Alabama, his Twitter account says.
Since the video became public, OU has closed the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and expelled two students, Parker Rice and Levi Pettit, both of whom are from Dallas. Rice and the parents of Pettit released statements apologizing for the racist video.
