Nov 26, 2013 01:22 PM EST By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Four former Vanderbilt University football players have been arrested and charged with aggravated rape and sexual battery, but Brandon Vandenburg has so far seemingly stood out as the person at the center of the heinous allegations.

A recent interview with News Channel 5 in Nashville marked the first time any of the accused have spoken publicly. In late June, Vandenburg, 20; Cory Batey, 19; Brandon Banks, 19; and Jaborian "Tip" McKenzie, 19, were dismissed from the Vanderbilt football team amid an ongoing sex crimes investigation.

They were later arrested and each charged with five counts of aggravated rape, two counts of sexual battery and Vandenburg was additionally charged with tampering with evidence and unlawful photography. The alleged rape is believed to have taken place in his dorm room, where he and his three former teammates took turns sexually assaulting an unconscious girl.

"It's been extremely difficult for me," Vandenburg told News Channel 5. "I came to play football and a great education.  That would be the reason to come to Vanderbilt and that's not what I got."

"I'm innocent and I'm going to fight that to the very end," he said.

His two legal representatives dropped out of the impending legal proceedings and have since been replaced by Fletcher Long and John Herbison.

"I'm going to tell you that Brandon Vandenburg is a fine young man," said Long.

The alleged incident is believed to have taken place in Vandenburg's dorm room, where he and another former teammate may have destroyed evidence in a next-day cover-up.

Former Vanderbilt football player Chris Boyd recently accepted a plea deal exchanging his guilty entry on a misdemeanor for his testimony against the four set to stand trial.

Boyd allegedly helped Vandenburg clean the dorm room the day after the sexual assault took place.

All five were dismissed from the team, but Boyd has since returned to class at Vanderbilt and has even announced his plans to graduate in May and enter the NFL Draft as well.

Vandenburg, Batey, Banks and McKenzie have all pled not guilty to all their charges and are currently out on bail, awaiting trial.

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