Kansas State players will not play, practice or meet until a student at the university is dismissed for a tweet posted earlier this week. Several Wildcats players, including sophomore all-purpose receiver Joshua Youngblood, posted an image on Twitter with a statement announcing the boycott on Saturday.
"To our family at Kansas State: Due to the recent disparaging, insensitive, and unsettling comments made by a fellow student, we as a football team, after consultation with students from campus organizations, as well as students from the general student body, feel it is best for us to stand with the students," the graphic read. "We are demanding that Kansas State University put a policy in place that allows a student to be dismissed for displaying openly racist, threatening or disrespectful action toward a student or groups of students. We have resolved that we cannot play, practice, or meet until these demands are heard and actions taken. We love Kansas State but we must stand together and protect all students moving forward."
The boycott stems from a tweet posted by Kansas State student Jaden McNeil mocking the death of George Floyd. Floyd's death last month has spawned international protests that call for justice, social equality and an end to police brutality. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder in Floyd's death.
Kansas State released a statement on the boycott on Saturday evening.
"K-State Athletics, along with President [Richard] Myers and University leadership, respect and support our student-athletes in standing up in the fight against racism," the statement read. "At K-State we are a family and we will work together to make our campus community an even better place to call home."
Multiple Kansas State football players voiced their displeasure and threatened the boycott on Friday. Second-year coach Chris Kleiman commented on the issue on Friday.
"Our program and our coaches will continue to be part of the solution when it comes to racial and justice. I love our players, and they know I have their backs," Kleiman wrote Saturday on Twitter.
Athletic director Gene Taylor also voiced his displeasure.
"Recent tweets from a K-State student downplaying the Black Lives Matter effort and the tragic and senseless death of George Floyd are disgusting and totally inappropriate and not reflective of who we are as a University or our Athletic Department," he wrote on Twitter. "They are not reflective of our administration and goals. We are committed to listening and supporting our black athletes, black students and members of our black community and taking positive steps in the matters of social injustice and racism.
CBS Sports has reached out to Kansas State regarding the boycott announced on Saturday.
Sunday night, Kleiman addressed the issue again on Twitter.