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Baylor's Grobe clarifies Oakman comments, calls media portrayal 'unprofessional and unfair'

Two days after comments regarding a former player's presence in the team locker room, Baylor interim coach Jim Grobe said he was taken out of context and portrayed unfairly by the media.

During Monday's news conference, Grobe was asked about recent Baylor alum Shawn Oakman visiting his locker room following Baylor's win over Rice.

Grobe said he did not know who Oakman, the school's career sack leader who is awaiting trial for felony sexual assault, is. On Wednesday, Grobe clarified and said he knows who Oakman is. The coach also took exception with how his statement was perceived.

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"Had I recognized him the situation would have been handled differently," Grobe said of Oakman's unofficial visit with a few ex-teammates, per sicem365.com. "But regardless of that, my comment of 'I don't know him' was taken out of context, and the way it was portrayed by some in the media, in my opinion, was unprofessional and unfair.

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"Maybe it would have been appropriate to follow up the question with 'Did you know that Shawn Oakman played for Baylor?' or that 'Did you know that after his senior season, he was charged with a criminal offense?' To those questions, I obviously would have answered, 'Yes.' "

Grobe, a former Wake Forest coach, was indeed asked for clarification Monday after saying he didn't know who Oakman was.

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A reporter asked a two-part question regarding: 1. Grobe's knowledge of the former defensive end's presence in the locker room and; 2. Grobe knowing "who Shawn Oakman is."

Grobe said he heard Oakman was at the game but then repeated his earlier claim.

"I don't know who Shawn Oakman is," the Baylor interim coach said Monday. "If he walked in today, I wouldn't know that that's Shawn Oakman."

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Monday evening, the university issued a statement barring Oakman from Baylor facilities as well as away-game locker rooms.

The Oakman debate is not the first time Grobe has needed to clarify comments since becoming Baylor's interim coach. At Big 12 Media Days in July, he said he didn't think Baylor - fresh off the sexual assault scandal - had a culture of bad behavior. He clarified comments then too.

On Wednesday, Grobe said the No. 16 Bears (3-0) don't need any more distractions entering conference play. Baylor faces its first Big 12 opponent Saturday in Oklahoma State (2-1).

"It became a distraction, an unwanted distraction," Grobe said of the Oakman controversy. "We need to focus on football. That's the disappointing thing for me, that we keep having things pop up that take us away from playing football.

"With that, I think our players and coaches have done a really good job focusing on football. For me as a coach, I like to coach. I don't like to deal with all this other stuff."

Twitter: @Ben_Baby

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