In a recent testimony, a former coach revealed that he did not learn about the assault allegations against former Florida State University (FSU) running back Devin Chafin until 2016, two years after the alleged victim had graduated. The testimony, which came in the context of ongoing investigations and legal proceedings, sheds light on the timeline of events surrounding the allegations and how information about the case was handled by those within the program at the time.
The former coach, whose identity was not disclosed, described how he was unaware of the allegations made by a former student against Chafin, a player on the Seminoles’ football team. According to the testimony, the coach only became aware of the situation in 2016, when the alleged victim brought the matter to light. This revelation raises questions about the internal communication within the university and its athletic department, particularly in handling sensitive matters such as assault allegations involving student-athletes.
The allegations against Chafin are deeply concerning. The former student accused him of assault, an event that she claimed occurred while she was attending FSU. While the details of the accusation remain under investigation, the timeline provided by the former coach is significant. If the coach’s account is accurate, it suggests that the university and the football program did not take immediate action or investigate the claims during the time the alleged assault occurred or when the victim was still attending FSU. The two-year gap between the alleged incident and the coach’s awareness of it raises serious questions about how these matters are handled, both by the coaching staff and by the institution as a whole.
The case is a reminder of the broader issue of how universities and athletic departments address allegations of sexual assault involving student-athletes. Over the years, many universities have faced criticism for not doing enough to investigate such claims promptly or for allegedly protecting athletes at the expense of the victims. In some cases, coaches, administrators, and athletic officials have been accused of failing to act or allowing athletes to continue their participation in sports while investigations were ongoing.
Florida State University, in particular, has been under scrutiny in the past for how it has handled assault allegations involving student-athletes. The most high-profile case involved former quarterback Jameis Winston, who was accused of assaulting a female student in 2012, though the university did not discipline him, and he went on to lead the Seminoles to a national championship. That case raised significant concerns about how seriously FSU took sexual assault allegations within its football program.
In this latest case involving Chafin, the question remains whether the football program and university took appropriate steps to address the allegations, and whether they did so in a timely manner. With the coach’s testimony revealing that he only learned about the allegations two years after the fact, there is now increased pressure on FSU to provide clarity on its actions during that time period and to ensure that such incidents are handled with the seriousness and urgency they deserve moving forward.
As the investigation continues, attention will remain focused on how the university responds to these new revelations, and whether more information about how the situation was handled internally will emerge. For now, the case serves as another example of the challenges facing universities and athletic programs in handling assault allegations and the need for greater accountability, transparency, and support for survivors.
