MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin receiver Quintez Cephus returned to apply Wednesday, although he isn’t eligible to play in video games but at the very least partially as a result of he lacks credit after he was expelled this spring amid sexual assault allegations.
Coach Paul Chryst advised reporters at apply that Cephus did not get a ”ton of reps” nevertheless it as ”nice having him out right here.”
”However it was his first apply, so that you simply deal with him a man who’s at his first apply,” Chryst mentioned. ”Definitely he is excited to be again with a gaggle which means a ton to him. I have not requested him something particular like how do you are feeling, however definitely everybody has gone by way of quite a bit, him being one in every of them.”
The Wisconsin athletic division mentioned earlier this week that Cephus will not play in video games till unspecified ”eligibility points” are resolved.
Chryst mentioned the problems revolve round a scarcity of sophistication credit. He declined to elaborate past saying ”there’s individuals engaged on it” however he did not know when the problems can be solved and Cephus can be game-eligible. The 19th-ranked Badgers open the season Aug. 30 at South Florida.
Cephus was suspended from the staff in August 2018 after he was charged with second- and third-degree sexual assault. Prosecutors filed the counts after two girls accused him of sexually assaulting each of them in his condominium that April after they had been too drunk to consent. Cephus maintained the intercourse was consensual and one in every of his accusers organized the encounter.
The college expelled him this yr earlier than the spring semester ended for violating its nonacademic misconduct code.
A jury acquitted him Aug. 2 after deliberating for lower than an hour. Chancellor Rebecca Clean on Monday determined to permit him to return to highschool and rejoin the staff. Clean did uphold a sexual harassment conduct violation in opposition to him however Cephus’ lawyer has mentioned he faces no sanctions.
Cephus, a 6-foot-1 junior from Georgia, was a standout receiver for the run-first Badgers earlier than he was expelled.
He performed a mixed 23 video games in 2016 and 2017. He collected 501 yards receiving within the 2017 season and led the staff with six landing catches regardless of breaking his proper leg throughout a sport in opposition to Indiana in November of that yr and lacking the ultimate 5 video games of the season.
Wisconsin media officers did not make Cephus obtainable for remark Wednesday. Star working again Jonathan Taylor mentioned it was thrilling simply to see his good friend again on the sector.
”Simply good to see his face, smiling, working round, stuffed with vitality,” Taylor mentioned. ”Identical to the outdated days.”