Here is the transcript of Flood's presser in regards to the non game topics that were talked about.
Q. A time line as to when the guys might be under investigation by the police.
COACH FLOOD: It's really -- I'm not at liberty to discuss it. It's an ongoing investigation. The only thing I can say, and I think Hassim can confirm this for you guys later on; that from the very beginning, we've been completely cooperative with the authorities.
Q. Can you address why they practiced on Wednesday?
COACH FLOOD: I'm sorry?
Q. An you address why they practiced on Wednesday or throughout the week, throughout training camp, and throughout on Wednesday? Injury.com has a report that authorities were here investigating on August 25, the last day of training camp and they confiscated players's phones. Can you just address why the players practiced throughout the week including Wednesday?
COACH FLOOD: All I could say is we had no reason at that point for them not to practice.
Q. Were you here on August 25, Friday, when the authorities were here investigating and confiscating player phones?
COACH FLOOD: Again, I can't comment on what is an ongoing investigation. I think those questions, if you want to refer them to the New Brunswick Police Department, that's probably where they should go.
Q. How about the perception of the program with all the headlines about the players arrest, dismissed, suspended, obviously your investigation; what's your concern about the level of perception of the program nationally right now?
COACH FLOOD: My answer to that question would be this: The people that know our program, the recruits that are committed to us right now and in this current class, there is no perception issue with our program. I believe those players and families were very well quoted this week.
The people that know our program know the success we've had on the field, they know the success we've had in the classroom. They know the success we've had in the community: Things we've done with Special Olympics, things we've done with Embrace Kids, things we've done with First Battalion 114th Infantry.
The people that know our program and the people that are invested in our program, that issue doesn't exist.
Q. Are you disappointed that you went to bat for some of these kids and they ended up in this situation?
COACH FLOOD: Yes.
Q. This happened in April. Was there an inkling from you at that point that something was amiss?
COACH FLOOD: You've got to explain that question to me a little bit.
Q. The alleged assault happened in the spring. Were you aware at all that anything might have been remiss, and is it part of your job to have known what was going on with your players at that point?
COACH FLOOD: I think all that stuff, guys, is a part of an investigation that I can't comment on.
Q. Whose decision was it, obviously President Barchi sent out a statement, obviously you saw it last night --
COACH FLOOD: I did.
Q. -- where he called the behavior abhorrent and unacceptable. Can you react to his decision, please, and can you tell us whose decision was it to dismiss the players? Was that a football decision or school decision or both?
COACH FLOOD: I will start by saying I did read Bob's statement. I have not spoken to Dr. Barchi, but I completely agree with it, and it was my decision.
Q. Do you feel like you have support from the administration?
COACH FLOOD: I do.
Q. Do you regret reinstating Ruhann Peele?
COACH FLOOD: Yeah, I think that's the same question you just asked, right, Steve? I would say that I do.
Q. How troubled are you to have five-year players to get arrested for crimes like this?
COACH FLOOD: It rips you apart inside. As the head coach, what you try to do with over a hundred players on your team is you try to bring people into their lives to help them make good decisions. And when something like this happens, as the figurehead father of the program, it just rips you apart inside.
Q. Can you just walk us through that day was like for you personally, emotionally and what you said to the rest of your team? And I guess the reason I ask that, if that's the message you would share with the general public, as well.
COACH FLOOD: I don't even know if I would have the words to verbalize it. You know, when it happens -- it's really hard. It's really hard. You talk to the rest of the team and you continue to talk about decision-making.
We won't stop doing that. We won't stop bringing people into their lives. We did it again last night and we do it every Friday night when we are in the hotel as a team, try to bring somebody into their lives to speak about being a better person; speak about someday being a better husband; someday being a better father. And we are not going to stop doing that as a program.
It's unacceptable what those players did. But I'm going to tell you, there's a lot of players down in that locker room right now that you're going to get an opportunity to speak with that are really -- that I'm really proud of and that I'm proud to have on this football team.
Q. What changed between Thursday and then today -- dismissing them today -- just more information?
COACH FLOOD: At the time of the first release from the athletic department, we were unaware of, really, what the charges were.
Q. A time line as to when the guys might be under investigation by the police.
COACH FLOOD: It's really -- I'm not at liberty to discuss it. It's an ongoing investigation. The only thing I can say, and I think Hassim can confirm this for you guys later on; that from the very beginning, we've been completely cooperative with the authorities.
Q. Can you address why they practiced on Wednesday?
COACH FLOOD: I'm sorry?
Q. An you address why they practiced on Wednesday or throughout the week, throughout training camp, and throughout on Wednesday? Injury.com has a report that authorities were here investigating on August 25, the last day of training camp and they confiscated players's phones. Can you just address why the players practiced throughout the week including Wednesday?
COACH FLOOD: All I could say is we had no reason at that point for them not to practice.
Q. Were you here on August 25, Friday, when the authorities were here investigating and confiscating player phones?
COACH FLOOD: Again, I can't comment on what is an ongoing investigation. I think those questions, if you want to refer them to the New Brunswick Police Department, that's probably where they should go.
Q. How about the perception of the program with all the headlines about the players arrest, dismissed, suspended, obviously your investigation; what's your concern about the level of perception of the program nationally right now?
COACH FLOOD: My answer to that question would be this: The people that know our program, the recruits that are committed to us right now and in this current class, there is no perception issue with our program. I believe those players and families were very well quoted this week.
The people that know our program know the success we've had on the field, they know the success we've had in the classroom. They know the success we've had in the community: Things we've done with Special Olympics, things we've done with Embrace Kids, things we've done with First Battalion 114th Infantry.
The people that know our program and the people that are invested in our program, that issue doesn't exist.
Q. Are you disappointed that you went to bat for some of these kids and they ended up in this situation?
COACH FLOOD: Yes.
Q. This happened in April. Was there an inkling from you at that point that something was amiss?
COACH FLOOD: You've got to explain that question to me a little bit.
Q. The alleged assault happened in the spring. Were you aware at all that anything might have been remiss, and is it part of your job to have known what was going on with your players at that point?
COACH FLOOD: I think all that stuff, guys, is a part of an investigation that I can't comment on.
Q. Whose decision was it, obviously President Barchi sent out a statement, obviously you saw it last night --
COACH FLOOD: I did.
Q. -- where he called the behavior abhorrent and unacceptable. Can you react to his decision, please, and can you tell us whose decision was it to dismiss the players? Was that a football decision or school decision or both?
COACH FLOOD: I will start by saying I did read Bob's statement. I have not spoken to Dr. Barchi, but I completely agree with it, and it was my decision.
Q. Do you feel like you have support from the administration?
COACH FLOOD: I do.
Q. Do you regret reinstating Ruhann Peele?
COACH FLOOD: Yeah, I think that's the same question you just asked, right, Steve? I would say that I do.
Q. How troubled are you to have five-year players to get arrested for crimes like this?
COACH FLOOD: It rips you apart inside. As the head coach, what you try to do with over a hundred players on your team is you try to bring people into their lives to help them make good decisions. And when something like this happens, as the figurehead father of the program, it just rips you apart inside.
Q. Can you just walk us through that day was like for you personally, emotionally and what you said to the rest of your team? And I guess the reason I ask that, if that's the message you would share with the general public, as well.
COACH FLOOD: I don't even know if I would have the words to verbalize it. You know, when it happens -- it's really hard. It's really hard. You talk to the rest of the team and you continue to talk about decision-making.
We won't stop doing that. We won't stop bringing people into their lives. We did it again last night and we do it every Friday night when we are in the hotel as a team, try to bring somebody into their lives to speak about being a better person; speak about someday being a better husband; someday being a better father. And we are not going to stop doing that as a program.
It's unacceptable what those players did. But I'm going to tell you, there's a lot of players down in that locker room right now that you're going to get an opportunity to speak with that are really -- that I'm really proud of and that I'm proud to have on this football team.
Q. What changed between Thursday and then today -- dismissing them today -- just more information?
COACH FLOOD: At the time of the first release from the athletic department, we were unaware of, really, what the charges were.
