‘It’s not us vs. them’: What the peaceful march meant for Mizzou football
Missouri Tigers football coaches and athletes pondered what they could do.
Protests have taken place across the nation in the past several days, including in Kansas City, many congregating to denounce racial injustice and police brutality against black people. The national dialogue was sparked by George Floyd’s death, a Minneapolis black man who died while being held down on the street by the police on May 25 in Minneapolis.
Some Mizzou players were already joining in the discussion, using their platform and social media to get their message across. But they wanted to take it a step further.
The dialogue started near the end of last week, MU coach Eliah Drinkwitz said. First, it was just the coaches before individual conversations and an impromptu team meeting. Over the weekend, Drinkwitz was approached by a player about an event.
After some more discussions and planning, the final result was a peaceful walk from The Columns to the Boone County Courthouse on Wednesday. In a symbol to spark change, 62 student-athletes also registered to vote.
“It’s not us vs. them,” Drinkwitz said on a Zoom call Thursday. “It’s all of us vs. racism. This is not a situation where it’s a them thing. It’s an us thing. By us participating on the walk, we’re all behind the fact that we’re committed to equality.”
The original idea of a march was sophomore safety Martez Manuel’s idea, linebacker Nick Bolton said.
The plan gained some momentum after talking with some of the assistant coaches, namely running backs coach Curtis Luper, defensive coordinator Ryan Walters and defensive backs coach Charlie Harbison, among others.
“We’re still seeking to understand each other,” Bolton said. “Everyone has their differences, regardless of race. Everybody’s a little bit different, thinks a little bit differently. Just having open conversations. Not judging what the other person has to say.”
The group met at The Columns at 2 p.m. Wednesday with the crowd quickly swelling in size. The football team was joined by MU athletic director Jim Sterk, men’s basketball coach Cuonzo Martin, women’s basketball coach Robin Pingeton, University of Missouri System President Mun Choi and local police officers.
Once they made it to the courthouse, the group locked arms and knelt for 8 minutes, 46 seconds — the same length of time police officer Derek Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck.
“This was a clear instance of right vs. wrong,” Drinkwitz said. “We tell our players, we tell people that if something is wrong, stand up against it. What happened to George Floyd was wrong and we stand against that. We fight for justice. It’s as clear as we can be about it.”
There were some talks of what they could do for the walk, and Drinkwitz said landing on the voter registration was key. As much of the dialogue is in hopes of reform, Drinkwitz said that starts with voting and keeping those in power accountable or to create change.
“Voting is about making your voice heard,” Drinkwitz said. “It’s about creating a more perfect union.”
Senior defensive end Chris Turner said he didn’t hear about the march until about an hour before the event. But once he caught wind, he jumped at the chance to join in — as did many of his teammates. Football athletes were back on campus in anticipation of the June 8 start date, when they can meet for voluntary workouts.
If there was a surprise, Bolton said, it was to see how unified the team was, noting nearly every available football player seemed to be there. Even if an athlete was black or white, Bolton said there was a unified front with little questions or negativity.
“We have a platform,” Turner said. “It’s our choice and our decision if we use it or not. I feel like a lot of people listen to what we say. Most of my team, they’re black guys. We’ve all seen crazy stuff. We’ve all been affected by it. We all want to see a change.”
Many noted the peaceful walk was a positive message, especially as it’s been nearly five years since the football team took part in the Concerned Students 1950 protests in 2015. The athletes of color on that football team announced a boycott where they wouldn’t practice or play until then-president Tim Wolfe resigned, who did so two days later.
Drinkwitz said he hasn’t talked about the 2015 protests with his team, noting that was part of the brand of #NewZou, which the first-year coach has implemented since taking over in December. Drinkwitz added they’re looking to make their own changes under a new regime with Wednesday being all about that.
Bolton noted he knows Missouri hasn’t always been the great place for minorities. Now, as a junior from Frisco, Texas, he said he’s been welcomed with “open arms” and it feels like “people are coming more together.”
“The conversations have always been the same: open,” Bolton said. “Change doesn’t happen if you don’t express yourself. There’s never been a violent confrontation since I’ve been at the University of Mizzou regarding race.”
As for what’s next, Drinkwitz said he and his staff have developed an action plan. Getting the players registered to vote was just the first step of many in hopes of change. He hasn’t revealed specifics to his team yet, but it’ll include community service and potentially internship opportunities.
And the work isn’t done yet. Drinkwitz added how change isn’t a sprint, but a marathon, which is why diligent planning is necessary. Drinkwitz said he hopes they can build off the positive momentum of Wednesday.
“We’re always trying to find something where you can actually use an illustration of something going on in the real world and apply it,” Drinkwitz said. “(Wednesday) was about that. It was about taking our words and our statements and applying action. That is integrity for us.”