Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston has been suspended for the first half of Saturday's game against Clemson after he was seen shouting an obscene sexual phrase on campus Tuesday.
FSU interim president Dr. Garnett S. Stokes and athletics director Stan Wilcox denounced Winston's "offensive and vulgar" behavior in a statement Wednesday to announce the punishment .
"As the university's most visible ambassadors, student-athletes at Florida State are expected to uphold at all times high standards of integrity and behavior that reflect well upon themselves, their families, coaches, teammates, the Department of Athletics and Florida State University," the joint statement said. "Student-athletes are expected to act in a way that reflects dignity and respect for others."
The joint statement also said Winston would undergo "internal discipline."
On Tuesday, Florida State students began flooding Twitter as several witnessed the reigning Heisman Trophy winner allegedly stand on a table in or in the immediate vicinity of the student union and yell obscenities, mimicking a popular Internet video. The phrase is of a sexual nature.
"It was not a good decision," coach Jimbo Fisher said of the incident during Wednesday's ACC teleconference. "You can't make certain statements that are derogatory or inflammatory to any person, race or gender. You have to understand that. You have to be very intelligent about what you say, (because) it matters."
The No. 1 Seminoles host No. 22 Clemson at 8 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC.
"We're deciding. We're talking and things [are] going on right now," Fisher said of Winston's status before the punishment was announced. "It's not something that we want or are indicative of. And it's not a good decision. It was something that had to be addressed."
Winston was investigated in 2013 for sexual assault. Ultimately, Willie Meggs, the state attorney for the Second Judicial Circuit, chose not to charge Winston in December.
Fisher said he has addressed the incident with Winston, who has been embroiled in controversy for his off-the-field incidents.
"You don't ever want any kind of instances, but we have to keep learning and educating, we have to make better decisions, we have to make good decisions on things," Fisher said. "And we'll try to continue to do that and try to educate.
"... The statements in which you make are always going to be more public than statements that other individuals make. That's just the nature of the business, of who you are and what you are."