USC Investigating Josh Shaw's Story, Coach Steve Sarkisian Says Schools Has Received Contradictory Accounts (UPDATE)
ByThe University of Southern California (USC) apparently has enough reason to question to the authenticity of Josh Shaw's heroic story of how he sustained two high ankle sprains.
In an official news release on the school's website, Shaw said he leapt from a second story balcony Saturday when he noticed his seven-year-old nephew who cannot swim in the deep end of a pool. USC has reportedly received calls disputing these events, though Shaw is sticking by his story.
"Josh Shaw, first and foremost, is a good person and a good kid," USC head football coach Steve Sarkisian said after practice Tuesday, according to ESPN. "He came to us with what had occurred Saturday night, and I have no reason and no history to not believe Josh and his story and what has occurred. Within the last few hours or so, we've gotten a few phone calls contradicting what Josh said occurred Saturday night, so we're going to continue to vet."
Shaw said he saw no one around to help the struggling kid, so he instinctively vaulted over the balcony and crawled into the pool to save him. With his injured ankles, Shaw also said he had to pull himself out of the pool using his upper body. A hospital visit later revealed the high ankle sprains.
Unnamed sources told ESPN that administrators at USC were skeptical of the story before they published the official release.
"We're looking at it. Beyond that, I only know what I know," Sarkisian said. "Josh is adamant with what occurred, and we'll continue to vet some of the other stories that have come across our desk and our phones and see where we can go from there."
After totaling six interceptions in the last two years for USC, the senior cornerback was voted a team captain earlier in the day Saturday. Shaw probably will not have to miss the entire season, but he is out indefinitely and Sarkisian said his defensive back will not be addressing the media for a while.
In the school's official release, Shaw said he "would do it again for whatever kid it was, it did not have to be my nephew."