UMass coach suspended for USF game

The University of Massachusetts will be without Coach Mark Whipple when it hosts USF next weekend in Amherst.

Whipple, a 61-year-old former Miami offensive coordinator, has been suspended a week without pay for using the term "rape" during a postgame radio interview following the Minutemen's 58-42 loss at Ohio. He also must participate in a sensitivity-training program provided by the school.

Referring to what he deemed a pass-interference infraction against one of his receivers that wasn't called, Whipple said "they raped us," in reference to the Bobcats defender. The transcript of the interview can be found here.

"I am deeply sorry for the word I used on Saturday to describe a play in our game," Whipple said in a statement released Sunday by UMass.

"It is unacceptable to make use of the word 'rape' in the way I did and I am very sorry for doing so. It represents a lack of responsibility on my part as the leader of this program and a member of this university's community, and I am disappointed with myself that I made this comparison when commenting after our game."

Defensive coordinator Ed Pinkham, whose unit allowed Ohio to score on nine consecutive possessions, will be acting head coach for the upcoming week.

"(Whipple's) reference to rape was highly inappropriate, insensitive and inexcusable under any circumstance," UMass athletic director Ryan Bamford said. "Coach Whipple's comments don't reflect the values of this institution, our athletics department or our football program."