There are indications people at Henry Ford were not exactly forthcoming about the allegations. Saban said he knew, and that Williams knew, but they had no idea about the severity of the charges. The whole debate is absurd, really. It's as if the damage to a football career is more important than the damage to a young girl. The right to due process does not guarantee the right to a scholarship.
Schools change their stances on prospects all the time, for a variety of reasons.
As Williams and school officials consider what to do, they must realize MSU's program would suffer a significant image hit by accepting Knott. No standards, no shame. Knott deserves his day in court, obviously. In the meantime, MSU has the right to build its program without taking unnecessary chances, and Williams has the right to set minimum standards. Williams' first obligation is not to protect Knott, but to protect his program.