Who is Greg McDermott and why was he suspended from Creighton University?

GREG McDermott the head coach of the Creighton University Bluejays men's basketball team has been suspended following his racially insensitive comments he made to his players. Assistant coach Al Huss will take over as interim head coach until the university decides when McDermott can return to his post.

GREG McDermott the head coach of the Creighton University Bluejays men's basketball team has been suspended following his racially insensitive comments he made to his players.

Assistant coach Al Huss will take over as interim head coach until the university decides when McDermott can return to his post.

Who is Greg McDermott?

McDermott has served as the head coach of the Creighton University Bluejays men's basketball team since April 2010.

Prior to his post at Creighton, McDermott was a head coach at five institutions, including, Wayne State College, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa and Iowa State.

His son, Doug McDermott, is an NBA player with the Indiana Pacers.

After four years as the head coach at Iowa State, McDermott signed a 10-year contract with Creighton, worth over $1million per season.

McDermott is one of only 120 head coaches to record over 500 wins in college basketball history.

Why was he suspended from Creighton University?

Creighton suspended McDermott from all team activities following his racially insensitive comments he made to his players after their February 27 loss to Xavier.

McDermott reportedly told his players, "Guys, we got to stick together. We need both feet in. I need everybody to stay on the plantation. I can't have anybody leave the plantation."

Creighton athletic director Bruce Rasmussen addressed the incident, saying, "After our Creighton men's basketball team returned to Omaha earlier today, Fr. Hendrickson and I engaged with other senior leaders in dialogue and discussion regarding appropriate sanctions for the remarks made by Head Men's Basketball Coach Greg McDermott that were not in alignment with Creighton's commitment to racial equity, diversity and respect.

"Coach McDermott and the team have accepted that, effective immediately, he is suspended from all team activities, including Saturday's [March 6] home season finale against Butler.

"Further sanctions remain under consideration, not all of which will be shared publicly.

"Coach McDermott and our Athletic program must use this incident as an opportunity for growth and learning, as clearly more work needs to be done," Rasmussen added.

Has McDermott apologized?

McDermott said he made the remarks in the locker room after an "emotionally tough loss" and immediately recognized his mistake.

"I immediately recognized my egregious mistake and quickly addressed my use of such insensitive words with the team," McDermott said in his statement on Twitter.

"I have never used that analogy and it is not indicative of who I am as a person or as a coach. I am deeply sorry.

"I have apologized to our student-athletes and to our staff, as well as to President Hendrickson and Director of Athletics Bruce Rasmussen," the coach added.

McDermott said on Creighton's pregame radio show March 3 - before he coached the Bluejays against Villanova - that he offered to resign over his comments.

However, he said the players did not ask for him to resign.

"Our guys wanted me to coach, and that's my job," McDermott said.

After Creighton announced the suspension on March 4, McDermott took to social media and said he believed the school's decision was the right one.

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"I made a mistake and I own it," he tweeted.

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"Mistakes come with consequences, and I accept and agree with the suspension."

The university did not specify the length of the coach's suspension.

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