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Rutgers University released a report today on the allegations made by former football player Jevon Tyree, who accused a coach of bullying. Tyree's family alleged athletic director Julie Hermann and her staff mishandled the player's complaint.

(Star-Ledger file photos)

NEW BRUNSWICK — A Rutgers University football coach did not bully cornerback Jevon Tyree and the university handled the student's allegations of mistreatment appropriately, according to an independent investigator's report released today.

The 10-page report -- which largely exonerates Rutgers officials of wrongdoing in the high-profile case -- was prepared by Saiber, a Florham Park-based law firm hired by the university to review the allegations. The law firm's investigators spent two months interviewing Tyree and 36 others involved in the case.

Tyree and his parents went public in November with allegations the freshman was bullied by then-defensive coordinator Dave Cohen. In a story first reported by NJ.com, Tyree alleged Cohen verbally abused and physically threatened him during a study hall confrontation last spring.

Tyree said he was then ostracized by the coaching staff before he quit the team in November.

Though witnesses gave conflicting reports on exactly what Cohen said to Tyree, investigators found the defensive coordinator behaved in an "inappropriate and unprofessional" way in the study hall. But his actions did not rise to the level of bullying or harassment, the report said.

The probe also found head football coach Kyle Flood took appropriate action within hours of learning of the situation and Tyree was not retaliated against for making the bullying claims.

"Our investigation revealed no evidence to suggest that Jevon’s role on the team and/or amount of playing time was in any way influenced by the study hall incident in March, or the Tyrees’ complaints about such incident in August and/or September 2013," the report said.

Cohen denied the bullying allegations and said he apologized the following day for "his participation in the escalation of the banter" in the study hall, according to a Rutgers statement released in November.

In addition to making the bullying allegations, Tyree's parents also accused Rutgers athletic director Julie Hermann of mishandling their son's complaint and refusing to meet with them for months. Hermann denied she ingnored the family, claiming she spoke with Tyree's father twice by phone shortly after the player made the bullying accusations.

Hermann met with Clarice and Mark Tyree Nov. 20 in a two-hour session arranged by the Rev. DeForest "Buster" Soaries Jr. at his Somerset church, located near the family's home.

The two sides came to a public truce in which Hermann admitted she should have met with the family earlier. Tyree's parents also acknowledged the athletic director may have spoken by phone in September to someone she thought was a member of the family.

The investigators said they were unable to determine if Hermann spoke with someone related to Tyree. The Tyrees' cell and landline records show they did not call Hermann on the two days she said she spoke to the family. But Rutgers' telephone system does not record the numbers of incoming calls, making it impossible to conclude what calls Hermann received in September, the report said.

"We were unable to resolve the confusion regarding the telephone communications AD

Hermann had with a man who she understood to be Mark Tyree. Although AD Hermann initially believed that she had spoken to Mark Tyree twice in September, she ultimately

understood at the November 20th meeting with Mark, Clarice and Rev. Soaries that the calls she received were not, in fact, from Mark Tyree," the report said.

"We conclude, however, that whatever the source of the information, the evidence shows

that upon learning of the issues, AD Hermann reacted in a timely and appropriate manner by contacting Coach Flood and ensuring that the issues were addressed," the report said.

In a written statement sent to NJ.com, Tyree's family said they are glad the investigation concluded the family did not misrepresent its interactions with Hermann and other athletics officials.

"We're proud of the strength of Jevon's character. Jevon will continue with his academics, he has put his unfortunate experience with Rutgers football behind him; he has taken the good and bad of this situation and has grown from this, and now is eagerly moving forward towards his future," Clarice Tyree, Jevon's mother, said in the statement.

Tyree's mother has previously said the family has no plans to sue Rutgers over the incident. Rutgers agreed to honor Tyree's football scholarship through the spring semester and released the player so he is free to play for another team.

Cohen was fired in December along with two other assistants. Head football coach Kyle Flood said the dismissals were “strictly football decisions.”

Cohen was hired a few weeks later as defensive line coach at Wake Forest University in North Carolina.

Cohen did not immediately respond to requests to comment on the report on the Tyree case.

Rutgers officials said they released the full 10-page investigator's report on the case and no sections were redacted. It is unclear how much the university will pay the law firm for the investigation.

"We have not yet received an invoice," said E.J. Miranda, a Rutgers spokesman.

The investigation into Tyree's allegations follows a similar independent review released in July dissecting how the school mishandled the basketball scandal that led to the 2013 firing of coach Mike Rice.

Rice, who was later fired, was accused of physically and verbally abusing basketball players at Rutgers practices.

Rutgers paid the Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom law firm $481,685 for its investigation and 38-page report on the Rice case. The law firm's recommendations lead to the establishment of a new "risk management" system at Rutgers to serve as an early-warning system for potential problems.

NJ.com's Dan Duggan contributed to this report.



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• Rutgers releases independent investigator's report on basketball scandal

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