NCAA News Wire
South Carolina coach contrite after suspension
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
South Carolina coach Frank Martin was remorseful on Friday about his actions this week that led to a one-game suspension from the university.
Martin will sit out Saturday’s SEC game at Mississippi State as “a result of inappropriate verbal communication as it relates to the well-being of our student-athletes,” South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner said.
On Tuesday night, television camers showed Martin shouting profanities at freshman point guard Duane Notice on the sideline during the second half of South Carolina’s 72-46 loss to top-ranked Florida.
“I screwed up,” Martin said. “I’m not perfect. I’ve got issues and I’ve got to work through them. … I met with my athletic director and fully support his decision.”
Martin, who previously coached at Kansas State, is known for his intensity on the court. South Carolina has struggled to a 11-19 overall record and a 4-13 SEC mark this season.
“I stopped (the profanity at Kansas State), but then I got here and it was a new environment,” Martin said, according to ESPN.com. “It’s not an excuse. I think my greatest asset is my passion — and that passion also gets me in trouble.
“I’ve got to learn how to manage it. I’ve stopped before, and I’m going to stop again. I don’t want my child to be exposed to it, so I can’t expect other people’s children to be exposed to it.”
Martin did not travel with the Gamecocks to Starkville, Miss., for Saturday’s game. Associate head coach Matt Figger will be the acting coach.
