Rhodes Scholar candidacy of former Yale quarterback reportedly scuttled by sexual assault accusation

A former star quarterback at Yale University reportedly may not have had the option of pursuing a Rhodes scholarship when he announced in November that he would play in the 2011 Yale-Harvard football game.

Citing interviews with six anonymous sources, the New York Times reports that Patrick Witt was "no longer a candidate" for the academic honor after several people involved in the process learned through unofficial channels that a fellow student had accused the 22-year-old of sexual assault.

The Rhodes Trust then informed Yale and Witt that his candidacy was suspended unless the university decided to re-endorse it, the Times reports.

Witt, who is no longer enrolled at Yale, is working on his senior essay and has been training in California for a possible career in the NFL, the Times report, citing Yale's athletics website. Witt did not respond for message seeking comment by the Times.

Witt's accuser, meanwhile, has not gone to authorities nor filed a formal complaint. The newspaper had not spoken to her and said it did not know her identity.

On Oct. 31, Witt was notified that he had been selected as a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship and would need to attend a mandatory interview in his home state of Georgia on Nov. 19, the same day as the Yale-Harvard game.

Click here to read more on this report from the New York Times.