Ma'lik Richmond Not Permitted to Play Football at YSU After Petition

Defensive end Ma'lik Richmond will not play football for Youngstown State in 2017 following a petition to prevent him from doing so.

According to WKBN, YSU announced Richmond will remain with the team as a practice player and surrender a year of eligibility, but he will not be permitted to play in games.

More than 10,000 people signed a petition started by a Youngstown State student to stop Richmond from playing after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl while she was unconscious in 2012.

As part of a statement, Youngstown State University acknowledged taking the students' concerns into account:

"Youngstown State University takes the matter of sexual assault very seriously and continues to educate everyone within the campus community about the impact and prevention of sexual assault.

"The University is fully aware of the gravity of the situation and of petitions that are circulating on social media in protest and support of one of our students, Ma'lik Richmond. We value the input of the entire YSU community and are committed to providing a safe learning environment and growth opportunities for all students, faculty and staff."

Richmond previously played at California (Pa.) and Potomac State College of West Virginia University, and he was attempting to make the YSU roster as a walk-on.

Per WTOV-TV (via ESPN.com), Richmond served less than one year in a juvenile detention center after being found guilty of sexual assault in Steubenville, Ohio.