Cougar Football Notebook: Media Day Wrap Up
COUGFANCOM
THE MEMORY OF Tyler Hilinski was widely evident at Pac-12 Media Day on Wednesday, and not just in questions posed to Mike Leach. UCLA's Chip Kelly was wearing a Hilinski's Hope wristband. So was WSU receiver Kyle Sweet. Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott spoke at length about Hilinski, saying his death by suicide reverberated "throughout our conference" and that more resources are being directed at mental health. Arizona State coach Herm Edwards said that more information is needed when it comes to mental health.
UCLA linebacker Josh Woods, a high school teammate of Hilinski's, said he spoke to teammates about removing the stigma associated with suicide. "I told the team, 'If you're ever going through anything, come to me, you can always come to me.' You want to communicate with people around you. Be genuine and ask how people are doing ... You want to be real about it," Woods said.
Edwards said the general safety of the game is far better than it was when he entered the NFL in 1977 and, in regard to mental health, he believes coaches and doctors are more aware and that players themselves are "more aware that 'I don't have to act like I'm a tough guy all the time if something is ailing me, I actually can say something is wrong and I'm okay.'"
