ALLEN PARK -- On Thursday, Matt Patricia held a press conference to defend himself against decades-old accusations of sexual assault. A day later, he'll try to coach some football.

The Detroit Lions will open rookie minicamp on Friday. All six draft picks are expected to attend, along with at least a dozen undrafted rookies and tryout players.

Only two draft picks have signed their deals -- running back Kerryon Johnson and offensive lineman Tyrell Crosby -- although more could do so while in town for camp. Last year, all but one of the draft picks were signed by rookie minicamp.

This is normally a festive time of year, the first time rookies get to lace 'em up in the Honolulu blue. But there's a pall cast over this year's camp after allegations of sexual assault against the new coach surfaced this week.

Patricia was accused of barging into a woman's hotel room and sexually assaulting her with a teammate, Greg Dietrich, during a spring break trip to South Padre Island in 1996. He was arrested, charged and indicted by a Texas grand jury, but the case fell apart when the woman declined to testify. Patricia adamantly denies the accusations.

"I was innocent then, and I am innocent now," he said during a press conference on Thursday in Allen Park. "Let me be clear: My priorities remain the same: To move forward and strive to be the best coach, teacher and man that I can possibly be."

Patricia said he addressed the team about the allegations on Thursday, and said he believes the accusations won't undermine his ability to lead the team going forward. The league has opened a review of the matter, but he continues to have the support of owner Martha Firestone Ford, who attended his news conference on Friday, a highly unusual move for her.

"My mission is to move forward and be the best coach for this organization that I can be," Patricia said.

The Lions have shut down reporter access to rookie minicamp this week, due partially to the Patricia fallout. The team always provides a few veterans for interviews. That was expected to happen until the indictment surfaced, and now it won't.

Detroit also usually allows reporters to watch practice for about 10 minutes. That won't happen, although that was expected to be the case anyway even before the Patricia news broke.

Two former Michigan quarterbacks are expected to participate in the rookie minicamp in John O'Korn and Shane Morris, the latter of whom finished his career at Central Michigan. Here are other undrafted players known to be participating:

CB Amari Coleman, Central Michigan

CB Antwuan Davis, Texas

CB Mike Ford, Southwest Missouri State

CB Chris Jones, Nebraska



WR Kyle Lewis, Cal-Poly

WR Brandon Powell, Florida

WR Teo Redding, Bowling Green

TE DeAndre Goolsby, Florida

OL Brett Kendrick, Tennessee

OL John Montelus, Virginia

OL Beau Nunn, Appalachian State



S Anthony Sherrils, Missouri



DT Josh Fatu, USC

DT Jojo Wicker, Arizona State



LB Al-Rasheed Benton, West Virginia

LB Chad Meredith, Southwest Missouri State



P Ryan Santoso, Minnesota

Tryout players: Michigan QB John O'Korn, Central Michigan QB Shane Morris, St. Francis QB Nick Ferrer, Ohio State DT Michael Hill and Kentucky WR Charles Walker.