Skip to content

Report: Wilson's mistreatment of players contributed to resignation

Matt Kryger-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Wilson's sudden resignation from Indiana earlier in the week was building for more than a year, according to new documents obtained by the Indy Star.

A report surfaced Thursday that Wilson was to be fired by Indiana over player mistreatment, but it was announced later that day by athletic director Fred Glass that Wilson was resigning over "philosophical differences."

According to Zach Osterman of the Indy Star, the father of former Hoosiers player Nick Carovillano contacted the Indiana athletic department in April of 2015 to complain about how his son had been treated over an injury.

The university launched an external investigation due to the complaint levied by Carovillano.

Documents obtained by the Indy Star show that Glass met with Wilson on April 13, 2015 and issued a warning: "As you know, Indiana will not tolerate any behavior among you and your staff that penalizes, ostracizes or criticizes any injured football player. I trust you and your staff are abiding by this long standing policy."

According to Carovillano, he injured his back during a September practice and approached a team trainer, who wouldn't treat the injury because there was no pain in his legs.

"I approached a different trainer in week two of my injury, saying I'm starting to get pain down my leg, my back still hurts," Carovillano said in the documents. "Basically, they're just kind of giving me the runaround, saying I'm not hurt. 'You're being soft. There's nothing wrong with you.'"

Carovillano would eventually continue practicing and lifting weights, in pain throughout, before seeing an independent doctor who immediately told him to stop participating in football while injured.

While he would stop participating in practice, Carovillano said he would partake in strength exercises in a tent on the Hoosiers practice field. It was during this time that Wilson would enter and berate the injured players.

"He would come over and yell at us, saying, 'I'm paying $70,000 a year for you to sit on your ass," Carovillano said. "He just wanted to make you feel bad, so you basically would stop being injured."

Tom Allen, who served as defensive coordinator for the Hoosiers this past season, was named the permanent head coach to replace Wilson on Thursday.

MORE STORIES

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox