Ex-Florida recruit who lost scholarship for rapping N-word lands with Division II school
The University of West Florida is in Pensacola, Florida
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Marcus Stokes, a quarterback out of Florida who has been surrounded by controversy, finally found a place to play college football.
Stokes signed with the University of West Florida on Wednesday, ending a tumultuous recruiting process for the four-star QB.
Marcus Stokes was a quarterback recruit who had his scholarship pulled when a video of him using the N-word surfaced on social media. He later received another scholarship offer from a historically Black college and university (HBCU). Stokes tweeted he received an offer from Albany State University – an HBCU in Albany, Georgia. (Twitter / @marcusstokes06)
Stokes had his scholarship to the University of Florida pulled in November after video of him using the N-word surfaced on social media.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a statement, Stokes said he used the word while "rapping along to the words" of a song.
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"I fully accept the consequences for my actions, and I respect the University of Florida’s decision to withdraw my scholarship offer to play football," Stokes said in a statement following news that Florida had pulled his scholarship.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"My intention was never to hurt anybody and I recognize that even when going along with a song, my words still carry a lot of weight. I will strive to be better and to become the best version of myself on and off the field."
A helmet of a University of West Florida player sits on the sideline prior to the NCAA Division II Championship game between the West Florida Argonauts and the Texas A&M-Commerce Lions, played on Saturday Dec. 16, 2017 at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. (Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
On Wednesday, Stokes found his home, signing with the Argonauts in Pensacola, Florida.
"We brought him in and we really didn’t talk much football. It was just about everything that has gone on with him in the past and just making sure his (public) apology was sincere," head coach Kaleb Nobles said, according to the Pensacola News Journal.
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Nobles said he spoke with returning members of the team, receiving approval to sign Stokes.
"He has been through a lot as far as recruiting," Nobles said. "We feel he’s a really good addition as a person. We feel the talent is there, but we feel the talent is there with every one as these kids."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Marcus Stokes was a quarterback recruit who had his scholarship pulled when a video of him using the N-word surfaced on social media. He later received another scholarship offer from a historically Black college and university (HBCU). Stokes tweeted he received an offer from Albany State University – an HBCU in Albany, Georgia. (Twitter / @marcusstokes06)
Last week, Stokes received an offer from the Albany State Golden Rams, a public historically black university in Albany, Georgia.
On Friday, Albany State head football coach Quinn Gray apologized for his decision to "speak with a student that did not meet your expectations."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}While Gray did not mention Stokes in the statement, the head coach was reportedly reprimanded by the school’s president for the offer, according to HBCU Gameday.
Fox News Digital reached out to Gray to confirm whether Stokes still had an offer from the university.
Marcus Stokes was a quarterback recruit who had his scholarship pulled when a video of him using the N-word surfaced on social media. He later received another scholarship offer from a historically Black college and university (HBCU). Stokes tweeted he received an offer from Albany State University – an HBCU in Albany, Georgia. (Twitter / @marcusstokes06)
Stokes threw for 1,867 passing yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior at Nease High School in Florida.
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"For us, our coaching staff and our student-athletes fully support bringing Marcus on as part of the team," UWF athletic director Dave Scott said. "His sincere public apology earned him that consideration for us. At UWF we want to have an inclusive and respectful environment for all our students.
"And part of our slogan is building champions for life, so we want to develop our student-athletes to be better citizens and good members of society. (In meeting with him) we just to make sure he was going to meet the standards we have at the University of West Florida to be good members of society and continue to grow as a person."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report