Boilermakers Country

Big Ten Daily: Son of Bo Schembechler, Former Michigan Players to Speak About Robert Anderson

Matt Schembechler and former Michigan players will speak to the media at 1 p.m., former Penn State fullback Brian Milne battles life-threatening disease and Wisconsin Athletics introduces NIL readiness program. Here's the latest from around the Big Ten.

D.J. Fezler

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Matt Schembechler, the son of former Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler and a survivor of sexual assault by former University of Michigan doctor Robert Anderson, will speak to the media at 1 p.m. Thursday.

He will be joined by his attorneys and two former Michigan football players, alongside their attorneys. Matt intends to address his father's failure to protect him and other athletes at Michigan.

Matt, Daniel Kwiatkowski and Gilvanni Johnson plan to tell their stories in front of the media, explaining Anderson's action during their playing careers. According to a news release, Kwiatkowski, who played offensive tackle with the Wolverines from 1977-79 under Bo Schembechler, was treated and abused on four occasions by Anderson.

Johnson, a Michigan wide receiver from 1982-86, was treated and abused more than 15 times.

The news release said Kwiatkowski was first assaulted in 1977 during his first football physical. When he reported the incident to his coach, and Bo Schembechler told him to "toughen up."

Johnson was assaulted in 1982 during his first physical, according to the news release. After Bo said he would address the issue with the medical staff, no changes were made.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the law firm WilmerHale investigated in May and concluded that Anderson's misconduct was reported "several times between 1978 and 1981," but that a "senior University administrator ... did not take appropriate action."

Matt Schembechler told his father about Anderson's sexual assault dating back Bo's first season as the Michigan head coach in 1969. Anderson went on to work as a doctor at the University until 2002 and served as the head medical doctor for Bo Schembechler's teams.

Former Penn State Fullback's Life-Threatening Disease

Brian Milne, who overcame Hodgkin's lymphoma to play football at the college and professional levels, is dealing with another life-threatening disease.

The former Penn State fullback, now 48, suffered a stroke on June 2. He was moved from his home near Cincinnati to Ashland, Ohio before entering the Ohio Health Clinic in Columbus.

“I later found out it was cerebellum stroke, much like (former National Football League linebacker) Teddy Bruschi's,” Milne said. “I also learned I've had a hole in my heart since birth and with all the tests and surgeries fighting Hodgkin's disease, no one found this hole. I'm a very private person, but with this I will overcome and be stronger in the end.

“I wanted to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. Special thanks to my wife Tammy Jean and (son) Connor for being by my side.”

Milne has surgery scheduled in July to close the hole.

During the weekend of Oct. 29, Milne will be inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. He is a member of the 2020 class, but the official induction was postponed due to COVID-19.

Milne missed his senior season at Fort LeBoeuf High School in Waterford, Pennsylvania, due to Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, he overcame the cancer treatments and played at Penn State from 1993 to 1995.

As a member of the Nittany Lions, he tallied 114 rushes for 512 yards and 16 touchdowns. Milne also added 32 receptions for 229 yards.

His best performance came against Illinois in 1994, where Milne scored three touchdowns, including the game-winner, in Penn State's largest comeback victory under coach Joe Paterno.

The Nittany Lions' 1994 squad defeated Oregon in the Rose Bowl and became the first Big Ten program to earn a 12-0 record.

Milne was drafted in the fourth round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts but was placed on waivers before the season started. He had a five-year NFL career playing for the Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints.

Wisconsin Develops NIL Readiness Program

Wisconsin Athletics opened the doors for its student-athletes to capitalize on their name, image and likeness through YouDub, a specifically designed NIL readiness program.

The YouDub program boasts a partnership with Opendorse, which houses an array of products that help support student-athlete assessment, education and brand development.

"College athletics is entering a new era and we are excited to embrace the opportunities that will come with changes in student-athletes' name, image and likeness rights," Wisconsin Deputy Director of Athletics Chris McIntosh said in a release. "At our core, we exist to prepare student-athletes. Our approach to preparing them for success in the NIL arena will be no different than our commitment to setting them up for success on the field of play, in the classroom and in life beyond their time at UW. Partnering our outstanding staff with Opendorse, the industry leader, provides our student-athletes with tremendous educational and brand-building resources to grow their opportunities and maximize their potential in terms of NIL."

The YouDub program will provide access to brand value assessments, live consultation sessions with industry leaders and an education series with experts on brand building, monetization and financial literacy. 

Student-athletes will also utilize a brand-building platform used by thousands of athletes in college and professional sports. 

"Wisconsin's standing as a premier academic and athletic institution was incredibly clear throughout the search process that led to this partnership," Opendorse CEO Blake Lawrence said. "Their team left no stone unturned, refusing to maintain the status quo or 'check the box.' The program's commitment to build a program with a foundation of industry-proven products and resources will benefit Badger student-athletes for years to come. We're proud to align with another program that puts athletes at its center, with a clear commitment to support and educate them as they embark on the new era."

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D.J. Fezler
D.J. FEZLER

D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball. 

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