Idaho Vandals safety Shiloh Keo was cited for misdemeanor battery this past Saturday night after a win against Hawaii. While it is commendable that Mr. Keo eventually turned himself in this does not erase the fact that he committed a crime. It remains to be seen what will happen in a court of law; however, the most alarming news is the Idaho coach Robb Akey has done little to discipline Mr. Keo. In fact coach Akey has indicated the Mr. Keo will most likely play in an upcoming game against Nevada. How can a player be allowed to play, less than a week after committing a crime, in a football game? Does commonsense not tell us that the first step in punishing Mr. Keo would be to not permit him to play in at least one game. Coach Akey indicated that Mr. Keo would be punished. The question is when will he be punished? After the season? It is important to remember that Mr. Keo is the leading tackler on the Idaho Vandals and Idaho is off to a 6-1 start. If Mr. Keo was a second string player would he be allowed to play this week? No, he probably would be banned from playing because he is not an integral part of the team and his presence would not enhance the chance of a victory.
The Idaho Vandals are sending a dangerous message to athletes by allowing Shiloh Keo to play. Athletes must be held accountable by the team when they violate the law. The disciplinary actions must be stern and swift. All to often athletes feel above the law because of their athletic prowess and teams such as Idaho foster this mentality by not reacting to situations such as Mr. Keo’s. Hopefully, coach Akey and the Idaho Vandals will see the light and take the appropriate steps to discipline Shiloh Keo and stop the cycle of inflating players’ egos. However, as long as Idaho keeps winning this will probably not happen during the season and when the season is over it will already be too late.

Justin Mayer, Executive Director ISPA