FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.– This is not the way Oklahoma planned for media day to play out prior to the Sooners’ national semi-final game against Clemson here Thursday night at Sun Lite Stadium.

The Sooners were there to promote their players and the accomplishments of their team. But the biggest story of the day had nothing to do with football and everything to do with a redshirt freshman running back Joe Mixon, who had been reinstated after being suspended from the team a year after he punched a female student in the face and broke four bones in her face.

A video tape from the surveillance camera at Pickleman’s Gourmet Restaurant, a popular student hangout, that was viewed by the media after multiple open records requests showed Mixon and university student Ameia Molitor arguing in an  incident that occurred at 2:40 a.m. July 24, 2014 and quickly turned ugly after “Molitor pushes Mixon and then slaps at the side of his head,” according to the Daily Oklahoman.

According to the Oklahoman, the three minute clip shows Mixon, who had just turned 18 the day before, landing a devastating right hook that knocks Molitor off her feet. First, she hits the table on her let ear, then falls to the ground, where she stays still. Mixon walks out of the frame toward the front of the restaurant. After about 35 seconds, Molitor manages to get up and steady her feet but staggers, eventually sitting down in the chair she stood next to a minute before.

Mixon entered an Alford plea to a misdemeanor assault charged in Oct. 2014 in which he maintained his innocence but also acknowledged that a jury would have enough evidence to convict him. He received a one year deferred sentence and was required to perform 100 hours of community services and undergo counseling.

Oklahoma president David Boren, AD Joe Castiglione and coach Bob Stoops signed off on the suspension after viewing the tape. But they also agreed to give Mixon a second chance provided he completed the conditions of his plea deal, then protected him from the media all season while he became a rising star for an 11-1 Big 12 championship team, rushing for 749 yards and seven touchdowns on 110 carries while splitting time in the backfield with Samaje Perine.

In hindsight, he should have addressed the situation with local media before it became an inquisition.

As soon as Mixon showed up for media day at the stadium Tuesday, a crowd of national media gathered around him. An Orange Bowl official, trying to protect the player, said Mixon would only answer football-only questions and threatened to escort anyone who violated the rules of the interview from the room. The media blew him off and began to pepper Mixon with questions.

“Are you sorry about what happened?”
“I won’t answer that,” Mixon said.
“Do you have any regrets at all about anything?”
“No,” Mixon said.
“What did you learn about yourself during your one year suspension?”
“What do you mean what did I learn?” Mixon asked.
“Did the one year suspension change you?”
“I don’t think it changed who I am, but it definitely made me a stronger person,” Mixon said.
“What did you mean by your tweet in September, quickly deleted, that said this season is dedicated to your haters?
“I know what I meant by it. You all just blew it out of proportion,'” Mixon said.
“Do you think you alienated female fans?”
“Next question,” Mixon said.
“Do you want to address what happened at some point in the future?”
“My lawyer will address it,” Mixon said.

Mixon is taking a cautionary stance here. He and his lawyer are concerned about a possible future civil lawsuit. But there was never a hint of remorse in his voice, never a feeling that he looked at the video to see the damage he had caused.

His questionable actions were  just another in a long line of incidents involving college athletes who have committed violence toward women on campus. Writing it off as just an emotional reaction made in a heat of the moment would be a mistake. The judicial system needs to take a harder look at this growing social problem.

Mixon got his second chance. Would he have received the same leniency if he was a normal student instead of a star athlete? Oklahoma is the same school which last spring spoke about zero tolerance when it expelled two students from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity for chanting a song whose lyrics includes racial slurs boasting that there would never be an African American member. The episode sparked outage across the country and drew protests from members of the football team. But it appears there is a different view of tolerance when a student punches a woman.

Oklahoma is taking a chance here, too. The Norman City attorney still kept a copy of the tape in its office in case of future litigation. Molitor, who okayed the plea deal, also has a copy. The school could take a huge hit if the video of his punch becomes public through a court decision or an anonymous leak.

As it is, Mixon spoke volumes with his attitude.