An online video appears to show Arizona Wildcats linebacker Santino Marchiol using an apparent racist term to describe some of his former teammates at Texas A&M.
The Star could not immediately verify that Marchiol was speaking in the video, which shows a linebacker wearing No. 32 β Marchiol's number β making tackles during an A&M practice this spring.
But the conversation between an unidentified man and woman who can be heard narrating the video suggests that itβs Marchiol.
Woman: βWhoβs 26 carrying the ball?β
Man: βOne of those monkeys.β
Woman: βOh my god, you got him again on the next one.β
Later, the video freezes on a player wearing No. 14. The woman asks the man if the player β whom she calls βK.C.β β is a safety.Β
βThey call him the monkey safety,β the man replies.
Texas A&M's No. 14 is safety Keldric Carper, who is black.
The Dallas Morning News first reported the story Friday.
Marchiol transferred to Arizona this summer to reunite with Kevin Sumlin, who initially recruited him to A&M. Sumlin was fired last November. Marchiolβs position coach, defensive coordinator Marcel Yates, is also black.
Although he transferred from one FBS school to another, Marchiol β who grew up in Centennial, Colorado β is seeking immediate eligibility. In their case for a waiver made to the NCAA, Marchiolβs family and their attorney contended that Marchiol and others had been mistreated by the new Texas A&M staff.
An email sent to the family's attorney, Thomas Mars, was not returned. Marchiol's father, Ken, did not return a voicemail from the Star seeking comment.
A UA spokesman said the school was looking into the situation.
