With Michigan State embroiled in the controversy surrounding its handling of former sports medicine doctor Larry Nassar, a member of the football team weighed in on the university's response.

David Beedle, a redshirt junior starting offensive lineman from Clarkston High School, issued a statement via Twitter on Wednesday night expressing sympathy for those affected and said the investigation into Nassar would have been handled differently if football was involved.

"As a student athlete at Michigan State University, it has been a dream of mine to attend this great institution and wear the green and white with pride and honor," Beedle wrote. "Along with being a student athlete, I have been provided with a platform that requires leadership and integrity. With the events that have occurred recently regarding Nassar and other assault victims, there is no apology that will erase the pain these young girls and children have experienced. As a MALE football player, situations such as this are rare and if it was to arise in football, I feel that action would've been taken immediately. No matter the sport, gender, ethnicity or race, we are all human and deserve to be protected and treated equally. To the women involved, you are stronger than many people could even dream of and I commend you for working towards the justice you deserve. It is my hope that MSU will continue to work at putting forth leaders who share the same principles that I do and who are dedicated to the safety of all. When it's all said and done, it's about the people that make up this beautiful University and I can only hope that the correct actions will be taken to keep the Student body and our Spartan family in tact.

"GO GREEN!"

The NCAA on Tuesday sent Michigan State a letter of inquiry regarding its handling of Nassar, who on Wednesday was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison for seven counts of sexual assault. That followed more than 150 impact statements from Nassar's victims, including former Michigan State athletes.

Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis on Wednesday issued a statement saying the university is "preparing a comprehensive response" and will cooperate with any investigation.

Michigan State president Lou Anna K. Simon announced Wednesday night she would resign.

Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio was asked last Friday about Simon and her role handling the Nassar controversy.

"Obviously, our hearts go out to the victims in this case. It's a very, very difficult situation for them and it's awful," Dantonio said. "With that said, 11 years of dealing with President Simon on so many different occasions and so many different areas, I've always found her to be very reflective, very calm in a storm, very on point and I've always appreciated that about her. She's much like a head coach in my little world that I'm in, and I can't control things at times. I would say she's in a very difficult and delicate situation and I really don't think that I'm even qualified to talk on it.

"I can only speak to my involvement with her and how she's handled very difficult situations. I think she's led, from that perspective, with Mark Dantonio and our football team."