Several former players and staff remembers [sic] reportedly described a toxic environment run by head coach P.J. Fleck. These are the latest revelations about a Big Ten football program in light of the Northwestern hazing scandal, resulting in the firing of Pat Fitzgerald.

“They described an environment fraught with intimidation and toxicity and referenced the ‘Fleck Bank; — a system that allowed players with enough ‘coins’ to get away with positive drug tests, and other violations of team rules …

“Unprompted, the term “cult” was used by multiple former players and former staff members to describe Fleck’s “Row the Boat” culture spelled out in the so-called “Fleck Book” that players are given when they join the team. Fleck said he developed the “Row the Boat” philosophy — one he laid out in a 2021 book of the same name — that was an approach he also used at Western Michigan.”