What kind of hazing occurred at Northwestern? Pat Fitzgerald's football hazing scandal and allegations explored

The conclusion of a six-month Northwestern hazing investigation has plunged the university into crisis. According to the school's released investigative report, the hazing involved coerced involvement, exposure of individuals and demeaning acts of a sexual nature.

An anonymous former player detailed the allegation to the university’s student newspaper late last year. This led the university to employ the service of an external law firm to conduct a lengthy investigation within the football program.

The scandal has led to the firing of the football program's longterm coach, Pat Fitzgerald. He was initially suspended for two weeks without pay. However, the sanction was changed by the university authority after public backlash.

Details of Northwestern football hazing allegations

Three journalists from the Daily Northwestern published an article containing information about the purported hazing incidents within the football program on July 8. The story was said to have come from an anonymous former Wildcats player.

The hazing incidents primarily revolved around a practice known as "running." Whenever a Northwestern player made a mistake during practice, they would be held down by a group of eight to 10 upperclassmen wearing masks resembling those seen in the movie "The Purge."

The whistleblower account further detailed that these upperclassmen would then engage in inappropriate physical contact in a dimly lit locker room. This, according to him, is commonly referred to as "dry-humping," with the victim.

These hazing rituals were particularly prevalent during the holiday season, according to the whistleblower. The events were referred to as "Runsgiving" and "Runsmas.” There was a whiteboard displaying a list of players under the headings "Runsgiving" and "Shrek's list."

The act of "running" would then be initiated by players performing a gesture known as a "Shrek Clap," where they would clap their hands above the targeted player. The whistleblower said it was a shocking experience for him as a freshman to see players go through the barbaric culture.

Following the student newspaper report, a number of former players came forward, providing further validation that instances of hazing took place. These accounts led to allegations of racism within the hazing incidents.

The findings of the investigation led by Maggie Hickey revealed that a significant number of players were either directly involved in or aware of the hazing activities. However, it concluded the Northwestern coaching staff had no knowledge of the incidents despite having several opportunities to be aware of them.