Army West Point Sports Communications has is scheduled to release an official announcement surrounding the Army Football program’s involvement in the so-called Wake Forest football scandal. Back on December 16, 2016, the academy announced it would begin an investigation to determine if a member of its football staff received any and/or what information leaked by former assistant coach and broadcaster, Tommy Elrod.

Army has played Wake Forest in each of the past three season, whereby the Demon Deacons have won 2 out of 3 of those contests.

Here is the December statement from Army West Point: The U.S. Military Academy's Superintendent, Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen, has directed Army's athletic director, Boo Corrigan to conduct an investigation into allegations that an individual affiliated with the Wake Forest football program provided Army inappropriate information about that program. The investigation will be conducted by a U.S. Army officer. Given the seriousness of these claims, it is important that all the facts and findings are gather and analyzed to determine what action, if any, is warranted.

WEST POINT, N.Y. - West Point's defensive coordinator will forfeit $25,000 and be suspended from football-related duties for two weeks, after an investigation revealed he was involved in mishandling information about the Wake Forest football program.

The investigation, directed in December by U.S. Military Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen, Jr., concluded last week and found former Assistant Coach Ray McCartney and current Defensive Coordinator Jay Bateman obtained non-public information and took actions to conceal the information and its source.

"Our commitment is to foster a culture of excellence and winning in everything we do," said Caslen. "It does not mean that we win at all costs. Rather, it means winning in accordance with our values and who we are as an institution and a nation. When we win, we will do so honorably, remaining true to the values and standards that define us."

Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Boo Corrigan, who approved the suspension and salary forfeiture, also imposed a requirement for Bateman to attend an ethics training program.

"Although no NCAA rules were violated, these actions do not represent our values," said Corrigan. "We appreciate Wake Forest bringing this matter to our attention and I want to apologize to the Wake Forest administration and to the West Point community."

As an institution, West Point will use the forfeited $25,000 for ethics training for the athletics staff.

The investigator, a U.S. Army officer assigned to the Directorate of Intercollegiate Athletics, found that Bateman, through McCartney, a coach who left West Point in 2015, received proprietary information in 2014 from Wake Forest's Tommy Elrod. Elrod was McCartney's former Wake Forest coaching colleague. Further, in 2016, Elrod sent his observations after watching Wake Forest practice film days before the 2016 game. The investigator found no evidence that the information was shared with any other coach, staff or player.

Let’s fast forward to present. Our sources have revealed to us that defensive coordinator Jay Bateman was the Black Knights’ staff member involved. Since GoBlackKnights.com has not conducted any investigation of our own, let’s us simply share with what we do know. Bateman will be suspended for two-weeks, effective immediately and fined $25,000.00.

Here’s what else we do know or should I say what I know. We live in a society where a person can do 99 things correct and one thing wrong, and be crucified and his/her life measured by that one mistake. Needless to say, I am talking in relative terms here.

Although, I am not justifying Bateman’s mistake or even lack of judgement, but I will say that over the three years that I have come to know him ... he is a coach/gentleman/husband/father who is both honorable and respectful and if any parent were to ever ask me if I would recommend Coach Jay Bateman to coach/develop their son, my answer would be a concrete, #Absolutely.

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