The statue of former University of Michigan head football coach Glenn "Bo" Schembechler was vandalized early Friday morning.  This is the statue that stands outside the school's football building.

The vandals splashed red paint on the statue, and spray-painted the messages "BO KNEW" and #hailtothevictims at the base of the statue.

Get our free mobile app

An anonymous e-mail to the Detroit Free Press took responsibility for the action.  It reads:

"The person responsible is an anonymous local resident who stated: 'This action is done in solidarity with the Hail to the Victims campaign, Bo Schembechler is long seen as an iconic Michigan coach, but he knew that Robert Anderson, the team's doctor in the 1970s and 1980s, was sexually assaulting countless players each year. When Bo's son confronted him about his own assault, Bo punched him and told him to keep quiet. Bo pulled strings and bent over backwards to ensure that Anderson could keep his job. It is time for the world to know that Bo is responsible for the abuse of innumerable Michigan football players."

There are hundreds of lawsuits against the school that are claiming that former U-M doctor Robert Anderson sexually abused them dating back to the late 1960's.  And that coach Schembechler knew about the abuse and covered it up.  Bo's adopted son even alleges that he told his stepdad about the abuse, but then Bo did nothing about it.

However, many former U-M football players have come to the defense of Bo saying that he didn't know about the abuse.  And they say that if he did, he would dealt with it aggressively and swiftly.

The vandalism comes three days before Michigan faces Ohio State for the Big Ten East title in Michigan Stadium.

The Best High School Mascots in the Lansing Area [RANKED]

More From 99.1 WFMK