Behind the scenes of Stadium’s investigation into Gregg Marshall
Head Coach Gregg Marshall talks to freshman Tyson Etienne during a timeout of the game against Abilene Christian on Sunday.
This March, Stadium’s Jeff Goodman started a sixth month long investigation into Gregg Marshall after eight players entered the transfer portal.
Goodman has tracked transfers across the country for the past 20 years. Goodman most recently worked with ESPN before joining Stadium, a multi-platform sports network. He said that at one point WSU had the most transfers in the country, which was strange considering that the program was on the cusp of returning to the NCAA Tournament.
As Goodman started getting in contact with former players, he learned stories about what had been going on inside the basketball program. Despite having more than 36 players at one point come to him in off the record interviews didn’t feel comfortable with publishing the story without someone going on the record.
Goodman said the story was the result of his six month long investigation.
“I just took my time on it, didn’t rush it and then ultimately had everybody in place and the one thing I didn’t have was somebody to go on the record,” Goodman said.
Goodman said that former center Shaq Morris approached Goodman and told him he would be willing to go on the record for an interview. Over a six week period, Goodman checked in with Morris weekly before he finally decided to go on the record.
“I just felt that this is such a big story and I’ve done stories of this nature before that you want to make sure that you’ve got it as airtight as you can,” Goodman said. “You don’t want to potentially ruin somebody’s career without having as much information and talking to as many people and making sure. That’s what I did.”
One of the major allegations against Marshall was that he punched Morris during a 2015 practice. Goodman was able to have seven players from the practice to confirm the allegations brought forward. Both Morris and Ty Taylor II went on the record for the story.
Goodman said that some of the players were less willing to go on the record because of the possible backlash they could face.
“[Players] talked to me but were scared to go on the record because, let’s face it, a lot of them are fearful of what the Wichita State fan base and community is potentially going to say and do to them— especially if Gregg Marshall keeps his job,” he said.
Throughout the process, Goodman said that he remained focused on doing his job to the best of his ability.
“I don’t have any vendetta against anybody,” Goodman said. “I’m just doing my job. I try to be honest and forthright, try to do my job the best that I can. Everyone says that you’re biased. I’m not biased at all.
“Yeah, I don’t like coaches that treat people like shit. Period.”
Some of Marshall’s former players have come out in support of him on social media but all were there prior to the 2015 season. Goodman said that he has respect for Marshall as a coach but that he should change his coaching methods.
“I’m not saying he’s not a good x’s and o’s coach and he didn’t do well in developing some players,” Goodman said. “I’m just saying there are a lot of people that I talked to, a lot of players question his methods and question whether it was personal. Do you have to be that way? I would say no.”
WSU released a statement Friday to address the articles published about the investigation. WSU confirmed that an investigation was taking place and acknowledging the allegations brought forward.
Goodman said that many of the players he interviewed for the story have not taken part in the university’s investigation and felt the investigation couldn’t be trusted.
“They felt that it was still a Wichita investigation and that Gregg Marshall was reaching out to some players right before the investigator reached out and basically, asking them to say good things about him, to come to his defense,” Goodman said. “I don’t know the specifics of it whether he wanted them to do it publicly on Twitter or through this investigation, I’m not sure.
“They just didn’t know whether to trust this investigation was going to be fair or if it was slanted towards Gregg Marshall. Most of them that I talked to didn’t speak to the investigator.”
Now that the information is out in the public, Goodman said that it will be crucial that the investigation talks to players from the 2015-16 season since that’s when the primary incidents took place.
“So if I’m the investigator or the law firm to me in order to do your due diligence you should be reaching out to every single player and it’s not that hard because I got a hold of most of them.”
The story has been updated for timeline clarification.
Sean Marty was the sports editor for The Sunflower. Marty, a senior from St. Louis, majored in communications with a journalism emphasis and minored in...
Adrian • Mar 28, 2021 at 1:12 am
I Do Not Agree With Mistreatment Of Players But What I’ve Learned Over The Years Of Being In Sports Is That There Is A Different Breed Being Raised These Days… High School Coaches And AAU Coaches Have Spoiled These Kids And Have Created Monsters That Cant Be Coached Or Corrected The Have Hyped Them Up So Much That They’ve Pretty Much Picked Out Their Draft Day Suits Before Ever Playing A College Game… They Think Their Game Is Perfect And Dont You Dare Tell Them They Need To Work on Something Or That They’re Not As Good As They Think The Are… Now Its Coach Dont Like Me I Want To Transfer… Coach Has A Problem With Me Now You Times That By 12 Or 15 And You Have to Deal With That Everyday And Not To Mention The Pressure To Win And You Upset Because He Used The Same Language That You Have Used In A Pickup Game or Just Playing Madden
Matthew • Nov 16, 2020 at 8:55 am
First WSU admin should have a little knowledge of the abuse during his tenure at Winthrop if they vetted him before his hiring. So an investigation in Wichita shouldn’t take long. Next I am troubled by Shaq M who says he should have quit the team when GM hit him. Well at no tome was the emotion higher than during the incident. But Shaq did not quit which makes me question the severity of the hit.and Shaq’s motives now in shining a light on the incident. Is it possible he has vendetta for GM for another reason?
I can’t justify GMs actions w the verbal abuse other than to say some players probably ought to toughen up. Doesn’t justify anyone using the N word for example, but these are young men given the opportunity to play a game in exchange for an education and potentially a Pro career. If they think they have it do bad, I invite them to visit a dialysis clinic or chemotherapy clinic. Again abuse is not acceptable but just how bad is it really? I’m confident some inner city youth survived worse than what was going on at GMs practices.
Bradley Mitchell • Nov 4, 2020 at 9:42 pm
This is very reminiscent of the KC Star investigation of Gene Smithson. WSU beat KU and then i suspect KU boosters paid for the investigation. That investigation did turn up some things. This investigation I suspect is instigated and financed by KU boosters again. Goodman could not have financed this himself, and lots of money was used as inducement for juicy details. Those details are far from proven. Follow the money. Goodman should be investigated.
Jim Richards • Oct 24, 2020 at 5:03 am
It is unfortunate when coaches get on a power trip and abuse their authority as leaders. It sounds like Marshall has taken the unhinged Bobby Knight path. Sad.
al g spector • Oct 19, 2020 at 11:00 am
let’s reserve judgement until the facts are in…curious when the final determination is made. unfair for this to drag out…some are calling for him to be suspended until that time. team must be having a hard time under this cloud. there is a bunch of money at play here and if they are looking to ditch marshall (he got the big money when winning big…moving to american put them in a middle of the pack status) they will do it now to save millions and get a good coach for a fraction of what they paid him. if found to be legitimate charges and he is released, his coaching days are done unless he goes to d-2. just hurry up, the team and university need this wrapped up. spoiler alert….i think he did what he is accused of as the players of the years in question are silent.
David Lewis • Oct 14, 2020 at 7:11 pm
That Athletic Director Boatright must be the same type of Coward that would participate in a “Candlelight Vigil” in a Ceremony of Hatred toward Wichita Police.
David Lewis • Oct 14, 2020 at 7:04 pm
I bet Marty is just jealous of High School and College Athletes. If you look at him the best he could do would be a “Participation Trophy” at a Tee-Ball team in “Killer City”
Anonymous • Oct 13, 2020 at 10:35 pm
Would seem to be a low level writer who is looking for a payday… Someone from St. Louis who still hates Marshall for some his
Issues he had with Valley Tournament over the years. I would think ESPN would have some comments on this if it had much merit..
David Lewis • Oct 13, 2020 at 6:42 pm
I see where the Athletic Director Boatright! has his email blocked. You can’t keep hiding Boatright. You don’t have the decency to come out of your hole and defend your Coach. Hey Big 12, PAc12, Big 10 Or whoever has some common sense you can grab a Great Coach hopefully starting tomorrow!!
Jerry Johnson • Oct 13, 2020 at 2:23 pm
I have no idea whether the allegations against Coach Marshall are true or not. He could be the second coming of Mother Teresa for all I know. However, the comments so far illustrate why coaches get by with abusing their players. As long as the team wins, nothing else matters. The school, the media, and the fans will turn a blind eye to questionable behavior. The same thing happened at Indiana. Coach Knight should have been fired years earlier than he was, but the basketball “community” protected him.
ChuckInWichita • Oct 13, 2020 at 2:21 pm
Gregg Marshall, IMHO, is among the top four (maybe three) basketball coaches to ever coach the Shockers Mens Basketball team. Again IMHO, to achieve respect from younger players sometimes takes getting a little physical from time to time.
Now, Bobby Knight (Indiana Hoosiers) took it a notch too far when he threw the chair out on the court, but he definitely had total respect from his players, AND he was quick to give them public praise when they played like a team, much like Gregg Marshall does. And Bobby Knight was one of the most successful NCAA coaches to ever
Having five NBA wannabees out on the floor does not mean they’re a team. They need a coach that will get the best from them, and that sometimes calls for drastic measures (punch during practice).
Go Shox!!!
David Lewis • Oct 13, 2020 at 10:29 am
Typical WSU Journalism story force fed to the Sports Editor Sean Marty by something called “Stadium” written by a loser who can’t keep a job. So Mr. Marty takes his spoon fed info and prints it as truth when in fact he probably and looks like he doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground. That’s OK Seanny boy go ahead and try to run off the only decent Coach WSU ever had by some “hit” piece hack who works for “Stadium”. WTF is that person, place or thing? I never heard of it. Big Boy College BB is tough. Sorry, I don’t give a shit about someone getting pushed around by a Coach. I like it. Instills Discipline. WSU finally gets a Coach that has put WSU on the National Stage and been offered better jobs than this but remains loyal to WSU. If I were him I would have taken the UCLA job that he turned down. I say to the supposedly crying players and Coaches who got their feelings hurt to “Grow a Set”. As for Young Seanny Marty You ought to become terrific in your Field. You already know how to ruin someone’s reputation.
Phil Hermanson • Oct 13, 2020 at 1:35 am
This is to Mr. Goodman,
Here is the consciences with your investigation. If you are right, then you will be praised and etc. If you are wrong, you just smeared someone for life. Think about that for a moment, you have been talking all over the National media like your the judge and jury. But like most reporters now days, oh well, I’ll just keep on smearing. Would you ever retrack anything you said if you were wrong. I would hope so but probably not. One day when you learn how much you can ruin someone’s life, maybe then you will understand .
Carolyn Earnest • Oct 12, 2020 at 6:19 pm
Interesting that he mentions the investigators only reaching out to the 2015-16 team?
Why? Is that the only bad stuff he found in all the years, Marshall has been there?
What is his motive???
Ray Hanson • Oct 12, 2020 at 6:01 pm
If this “investigation” that this Goodman says he has done turns out to be a bunch of crap, I really hope you all take the time and fully apologize for piggybacking on this story.
Rion • Oct 12, 2020 at 2:39 pm
Its horse shit!!!! Coach Marshall is not that type of person to hurt someone. These kids need to learn what tough love is. If you don’t know what it means then you have no business being on the court.