NCAA Football '08

[joepa66]

And no college football thread would be completed without the police/court log:

Bama linebacker Johns charged with selling cocaine, possessing Ecstasy

By Chris Low
ESPN.com
June 24, 2008, 6:29 PM ET

Alabama's already thin linebacker corps took another hit Tuesday when senior Jimmy Johns was dismissed from the team following his arrest on multiple drug charges.

Jimmy Johns, the 10th Alabama football player arrested within the past year, is jailed in Tuscaloosa on $120,000 bond. Johns, who was moved from running back to linebacker this spring, was arrested Tuesday morning in Tuscaloosa and charged with five felony counts of distributing cocaine.

A sixth charge of possession was also tacked on after police officers searched his off-campus residence and found cocaine and Ecstasy pills, according to Tuscaloosa Police Department Capt. Jeff Snyder, who heads up the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force.

It didn't take Alabama coach Nick Saban long to react; he dismissed Johns immediately.

Johns is the 10th Alabama football player arrested within the last year.

Snyder said police received information about two months ago that Johns was involved in the selling of drugs. On two occasions police bought cocaine from Johns on the Alabama campus and, on one of the five times investigators bought cocaine from Johns, they bought as much as seven grams of the drug, according to police.

The Crimson Tide were already without linebacker Prince Hall this spring after Hall was suspended by Saban for disciplinary reasons. Saban said recently, however, that the door was open for Hall to rejoin the team if he met all of the coach's expectations.

Linebacker Ezekiel Knight also remains sidelined because of a heart ailment, and there's concern that he might not be able to play again.

Depending on what happens with Hall, sophomore Rolando McClain is the lone returning linebacker with extensive experience. McClain, a freshman All-America selection last season, manned one of the other two inside spots in the Tide's 3-4 defense this spring along with Johns.


Clemson's McDaniel arrested, charged with aggravated assault, battery
Associated Press
Updated: June 23, 2008, 4:37 PM ET

CLEMSON, S.C. -- Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel has been arrested on charges he covered his girlfriend's head with a comforter and began choking her.

A warrant from the Central Police Department says McDaniel was charged with aggravated assault and battery Saturday. The incident report says a woman identified as McDaniel's girlfriend said the sophomore also punched her in the head, face and chest, and pushed her down a flight of stairs.

The report says the woman was treated at a hospital for a cervical sprain and contusions. Clemson athletic spokesman Tim Bourret said in a statement that the athletic department was gathering information about the incident.


UCF's Kay suspended from team after weekend arrest
Associated Press
Updated: June 23, 2008, 10:39 PM ET

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Central Florida running back Ricky Kay was suspended from the team following an arrest over the weekend.

According to an affidavit, the 19-year-old was charged with preventing or hindering firefighter equipment and damage of property. Kay was arrested Saturday morning, posted $1,100 bond and was released.

Authorities said Kay had been at a nightclub and when returning, he hit a sign and a pressure gauge attached to the fire sprinkler system. The total damage was estimated at $5,200.

UCF officials say in a statement that Kay will remain suspended until resolution of the charges. Kay came to UCF in 2007 as a walk-on. He appeared in 13 games last season.


Colorado linebacker Sipili, ex-defensive lineman Perri sued over assault
Associated Press
Updated: June 23, 2008, 7:54 PM ET

BOULDER, Colo. -- University of Colorado linebacker Michael Sipili and former defensive lineman Christopher Perri have been sued over an assault that happened last year.

Colorado student John Antrim filed the lawsuit this week. He says he had three metal plates inserted into his face after the assault. Antrim's lawyers say he suffered traumatic brain injury and long-term disfigurement. He is seeking compensation for his injuries.

Sipili pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in the case. He was suspended from school and the football team last fall but is expected to be a starter this fall.

Perri was suspended for three games and decided after the Independence Bowl game that he would leave the program on his own accord.


Report: Duke free of damages in contract suit with Louisville
ESPN.com news services
Updated: June 21, 2008, 2:55 PM ET

A Kentucky judge has confirmed what Duke fans have known for years: their football team is as bad as it gets.

Bad enough that Louisville should have to find another football team to replace the Blue Devils without penalty after Duke pulled out of the final three games of a four-game contract last season. In a lawsuit filed late last year, Louisville asked for $450,000 in damages and any additional damages the court saw fit.

But Duke's lawyers argued that the Blue Devils' performance on the field was so poor that any Division I team would suffice as a replacement. Duke is 6-45 over the past five years, 13-90 since 1999.

Judge Phillip J. Shepherd of the Franklin County (Ky.) Circuit Court agreed, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

The two schools were to meet four times between 2002 and 2009. Louisville beat the Blue Devils 40-3 in September 2002, but Duke opted out of the final three games, to be played last season and in 2008 and 2009.

Louisville claimed it struggled to find another team and received "little, if any, help from either Duke or the [Atlantic Coast Conference]" in finding a replacement

[williwonka05]

If pitt can get decent QB play, and keep teams from loading up on the run, they could surpise some people this year .. RB McCoy is dynomite and Johnathan Baldwin should be one of the better Freshman WR in the country.. Big Tall receiver who can fly.

[williwonka05]

with daniel returning along with maclin and a good nucleus on the o-line they should be big time contendors for the national title .. Big 12 is very tough this year, but i look for them to only lose 1 game ( at texas )

favorable schedule with no texas tech on the schedule and a non conference consisting of
ILLINOIS ( in ST LOUIS )
NEVADA
BUFFALO
SE MISSOURI ST

They won't play a true road game til October 4th at Nebraska, look for them to get out of the gates early and blow some teams out IMO with that explosive offense

[Daws1089]

willie,

I agree about pitt. I don't know what they have in terms of OL after the few they lost to graduation and the nfl, but if they can sure that up their offense will be pretty good.

[joepa66]

Ga. Tech Player Charged With Rape, Suspended
Tuesday, July 01, 2008

ATLANTA — Georgia Tech cornerback Jerrard Tarrant has been charged with rape and has been suspended from the football team. The alleged victim said she was raped at an on-campus dormitory April 25 and reported the incident to police that morning, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Monday.

Tarrant, 19, was released Saturday on $40,000 bail, the newspaper reported. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound redshirt freshman from Carrollton, Ga., was considered a potential starter at cornerback. Tarrant has been suspended indefinitely from the Tech football team pending the outcome of the case, Yellow Jackets coach Paul Johnson said in a statement.

"These charges filed against Jerrard are something that we take very seriously. He has been suspended from the team indefinitely, pending the outcome of the legal proceedings," Johnson said.

Georgia Tech campus police said the arrest report was not available Monday afternoon.

Tarrant was competing with Mario Butler for the spot opposite Jahi Word-Daniels. Tarrant also practiced at nickel back and on special teams.

[sdsurfn]

Looking forward to College Football 2008. Won't be long now. Cheers, you beautiful bastards.

[joepa66]

The News never ends.....


Louisville WR Spillman dismissed from team after another arrest
Associated Press
Updated: July 6, 2008, 8:39 PM ET

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Louisville wide receiver JaJuan Spillman has been dismissed from the team following his second arrest in 18 months.

Coach Steve Kragthorpe announced the dismissal Sunday, three days after Spillman was arrested on charges of driving under the influence, carrying a concealed weapon and having no insurance.

Kragthorpe said Spillman will not have an opportunity to return to the program. Spillman, 21, pleaded guilty last month to marijuana possession stemming from his arrest on Jan. 31, 2007. He was suspended indefinitely from the team after a win at North Carolina State, but was reinstated after the season was over.

Spillman caught nine passes for 64 yards last season and averaged 22.2 yards on 18 kickoff returns.


Louisville wide receiver shot after altercation at club, expected to recover
Associated Press
Updated: July 5, 2008, 6:05 PM ET

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Louisville wide receiver Trent Guy was shot in the back early Saturday outside garage near a downtown nightclub. The school said it expects him to fully recover.

The 20-year-old junior was taken to University Hospital, where he was in stable condition after surgery, athletic department spokesman Rocco Gasparro said.

"His injuries aren't as severe as they could be," said Gasparro, who visited Guy. "At this time, we expect him to have a full recovery, but it's too early to speculate on his playing status."

Police said there have been no arrests and they are investigating.

Gasparro said an argument was sparked after a man touched Guy's fiance at the club. The club asked them to leave. On the way to Guy's car, two men -- one having clashed with Guy at the club -- opened fire on the victim and his fiance, Gasparro said.

The shooting was reported about 2:25 a.m., police spokesman Phil Russell said. He declined to say if Guy was shot, citing police department policy, but he confirmed there was a shooting involving a 20-year-old male.

Guy played in all 12 games for the Cardinals last season at receiver and was the team's top kick returner. He caught 11 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns, and averaged 22.2 yards on kickoff returns and scored a touchdown. He was expected to start at receiver this season.


Georgia DE Lemon suspended following battery charges
Associated Press
Updated: July 3, 2008, 4:53 PM ET

ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgia defensive end Michael Lemon was suspended from the team Thursday after he was charged with punching a student and breaking his eye socket.

Lemon, a sophomore third-stringer, was charged with misdemeanor battery and felony aggravated battery. He was released on $2,500 bond from Athens-Clarke County jail.

His arrest was yet another legal entanglement for the team. Seven Georgia players have been arrested since the end of the 2007 season. The school said it is university policy that an athlete charged with a felony is indefinitely suspended pending an investigation.

"I'm certainly disappointed in a few of our players who have made poor decisions during the offseason," coach Mark Richt said. "It is of great concern and we take it very seriously. They will be dealt with accordingly and will pay a price. Each one will be disciplined based on the severity of their actions."

Lemon is accused of punching DeMarius Jackson. Two other players, offensive linemen Justin Anderson and Trinton Sturdivant, were arrested on misdemeanor battery charges Monday night. They are accused of rubbing the stomach of a pregnant woman without permission.

Richt said sophomore offensive guard Clint Boling will be suspended for the first two games of the season following an alcohol-related arrest in the spring.

Senior defensive end Jeremy Lomax, charged in early June with speeding and carrying a concealed weapon, has been exonerated of the concealed weapon charge.



Michigan RB Grady to be arraigned next week on drunken driving charge
Associated Press
Updated: July 2, 2008, 5:19 PM ET

WYOMING, Mich. -- Michigan running back Kevin Grady was arrested early Wednesday morning and will be arraigned next week on a misdemeanor drunken driving charge.

Kent County Jail records show that the 22-year-old was released on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond. Grady is to be arraigned July 9 in the Grand Rapids suburb of Wyoming.

He's a graduate of East Grand Rapids High School, where he set state scoring and rushing records. Grady missed all of the 2007 season due to a knee injury sustained during spring drills.

Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez said in a statement that the matter will be handled internally after he meets with Grady and reviews the details.


VT WR Dillard, expected to figure in offense, will miss '08 season
Associated Press

Updated: July 2, 2008, 3:22 PM ET
BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Brandon Dillard, a redshirt junior wide receiver expected to contend for significant playing time for Virginia Tech this season, will instead miss the season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon in player-organized offseason workouts.

The school said Wednesday that Dillard was hurt Tuesday night.

Hokies head trainer Mike Goforth said the Martinsville native will have surgery next week at Montgomery Regional Hospital, with four to six months of rehabilitation to follow.

One of the fastest players in school history, Dillard was expected to help the Hokies alleviate the loss of their top four receivers to graduation after last season.

He gave a glimpse of his potential in the team's Maroon and White spring game with a 49-yard run on a reverse and a 25-yard touchdown reception.

[redhog55]

Joepa- What is unfortunate is that crap like this is so common that we have become immune to it all. I don't even read it anymore, unless it concerns the Hogs (unfortunatey, I've had a lot of reading lately).

I'd support an NCAA rule that gave an automatic suspension for players found guilty of a crime. The more severe the crime, the more stiff the penalty.

Just my opinion, an old school conservative that dreams of the "good old days".

[joepa66]

Originally Posted by redhog55

.....Just my opinion, an old school conservative that dreams of the "good old days".....

But most of the big programs in those good ole days also used to find a way to sweep that stuff under the carpet until the media started getting more intrusive. I like the old days too....I just find the stories informational when they involve key players and how it/they could possibly affect a team....

[joepa66]

Vols punter Colquitt pleads guilty to drunken driving
Associated Press
Updated: July 7, 2008, 3:42 PM ET

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee punter Britton Colquitt will spend 24 hours picking up litter and lose his license for a year after he pleaded guilty Monday to drunken driving.

Colquitt, 23, was charged Feb. 17 with DUI and leaving the scene of an accident. He also received a suspended sentence of 11 months, 29 days, a $350 fine and court costs, a 24-hour detention in jail and must attend DUI school. After Colquitt's arrest, Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer suspended the second-team All-SEC punter for the first five games of his senior season and revoked his scholarship.

Officers who stopped Colquitt said he admitted to drinking and driving as well as hitting a parked car and a tree stump, causing more than $400 in damage. Colquitt was also suspended from the team as an incoming freshman in 2003 after a series of alcohol-related incidents.


Indiana QB Lewis reinstated after four-month suspension
Associated Press
Updated: July 7, 2008, 7:26 PM ET

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana quarterback Kellen Lewis was reinstated to the team Monday after being suspended for about four months. The school never explained why Lewis was suspended in March, but coach Bill Lynch said his star player did what was necessary to return to the team.

"Kellen has worked very hard and reached all the benchmarks we set for him," Lynch said in a release. "He is committed to this football program and is excited to rejoin his teammates. We are happy to welcome him back."

Lewis, a junior, is the fifth Indiana quarterback to reach 5,000 career passing yards and the fourth player to collect 6,000 total yards. He joined Tim Tebow of Florida and Dan LeFevour of Central Michigan as the only quarterbacks in the nation to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 700 yards last season. He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2007.


Source: Blood clot to sideline starting left guard Bellamy
By Heather Dinich ESPN.com
Updated: July 7, 2008, 4:43 PM ET

Florida State starting left guard Evan Bellamy will miss the entire season because of a blood clot in his leg, a source within the program told ESPN.com. Bellamy, a redshirt sophomore, is expected to miss six months.

Bellamy played in all 10 games last season, including the first start of his career in the Music City Bowl, and he wasn't called for one penalty. His backup on the spring depth chart is Jacob Stanley, who doesn't have any game experience.

Bellamy will definitely be missed, as two backup offensive linemen will also be missing for the first three games because of the suspensions handed down after FSU's widely publicized academic scandal last season. The Seminoles' young offensive line is without a senior for the first time since 2003.

[redhog55]

Yeah I know what you mean about sweeping it under the rug. I grew up close to the Univ. of Illinois. Dick Butkus was a legendary PRICK.

Not ony the media coverage has gotten more intrusive, but the police have stopped looking the other way.

[joepa66]

West Virginia says Rodriguez agrees to pay buyout
Associated Press
Updated: July 9, 2008, 9:16 AM ET

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Former West Virginia football coach Rich Rodriguez agreed to pay a $4 million buyout clause and settle a lawsuit that the university filed after he broke his contract in December.

The tentative agreement, which university attorney Tom Flaherty expects will be approved by the WVU Board of Governors later Wednesday, would end a case that had been set for trial this fall. It also may end a bitter public feud.

Rodriguez quit the Mountaineers in December for the head coaching job at Michigan, only a year after extending his contract with WVU. He had argued that WVU broke the contract first by failing to honor certain promises -- a charge WVU denied.

Flaherty said he would reveal additional details about the settlement, including the period for repayment, after the deal is approved by the board. However, he said the payment would not be made in a lump sum. The settlement was reached on what had been a key deadline in the case. As part of the discovery process, a judge had given Rodriguez until the end of Tuesday to reveal whether the University of Michigan or anyone else had agreed to pay WVU on his behalf.

Flaherty said a document was produced, but he could not immediately divulge its contents. Adding pressure to Rodriguez was a lawsuit WVU filed in a Michigan court last week, asking a judge to order Michigan athletic director Bill Martin and President Mary Sue Coleman to testify in depositions. A hearing on that request had been set for Wednesday afternoon.

WVU also recently got an Ohio court to issue a subpoena for testimony and records from Mike Wilcox, Rodriguez's financial adviser. The Rodriguez camp approached the university with a "significant and serious offer" within the past few days, and WVU responded with a counterproposal Tuesday, Flaherty said. That set off a series of meetings with a court-appointed mediator, Frank Fragale.

"Mike Garrison and the people at Stewart Hall worked tirelessly -- under the very, very difficult circumstances that he's in -- to get this done," Flaherty said. "They also, in my opinion, did everything they could to keep Mr. Rodriguez here."

Garrison is stepping down as WVU's president Sept. 1 over an unrelated scandal involving a master's degree the university wrongly awarded to the governor's daughter last fall.

The $4 million liquidated damages clause was suggested by an attorney on the WVU Board of Governors in December 2006, after Rodriguez turned down an offer from Alabama. It was double the amount of the previous contract, but a number attorney Steve Farmer said he believed would protect WVU from lost marketing, merchandising and other opportunities if Rodriguez left early.

Though Rodriguez initially balked, he ultimately signed a contract with that figure in August 2007. He then resigned Dec. 16, taking recruits and assistant coaches with him, and leaving the Mountaineers just before the Fiesta Bowl game against Oklahoma. Bill Stewart replaced Rodriguez after a 48-28 victory over the Sooners.

Stewart has a five-year contract worth $800,000 a year, plus incentives. The base salary totals $4 million, the same amount WVU aimed to recover with its lawsuit. Rodriguez testified recently in a deposition that he signed his contract under pressure from board members and Gov. Joe Manchin. He argues that WVU failed to honor some of his demands and Garrison assured him the buyout clause would be reduced or eliminated if he were to resign -- a promise Garrison denies making.

Rodriguez also testified that while he considered the amount "excessive" and "unfair," he acquiesced when he was told a major WVU donor had insisted on it.

He has agreed to a similar $4 million damages clause at Michigan.


OSU's Clifford charged with assault, accused of punching 2 bar employees
ESPN.com news services
Updated: July 8, 2008, 4:43 PM ET

Ohio State defensive back Eugene Clifford was arraigned Monday on two counts of misdemeanor assault after an early Friday morning incident in Cincinnati in which he is accused of punching two employees of a sports bar.

Clifford, 20, pleaded not guilty to the two counts, and posted $2,000 bond. A court day was set for July 29. According to multiple Ohio media reports, Clifford was accused of hitting two bar employees who were trying to break up a fight. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that according to police, Clifford also threatened to get a gun and shoot the employees.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was informed about Clifford's arrest, but a school spokeswoman on Monday had no comment regarding Clifford's status with the Buckeyes, the Plain Dealer reported.

Clifford played in four games on special teams last season, his first with the Buckeyes, but in December 2007, he was suspended for violating unspecified team rules and banned from playing in the BCS national championship game against LSU.

Clifford also was suspended from spring practice this year; the Buckeyes would not elaborate on the reason.


SJSU's Gonzalez sentenced on misdemeanor battery charge
Associated Press
Updated: July 8, 2008, 3:20 PM ET

AUBURN, Calif. -- A linebacker for San Jose State has been sentenced to 45 days in jail for punching a friend in the face three years ago.

Prosecutors say 20-year-old Ryne "Ryno" Gonzalez confronted Chad Cisneros in 2005 over a woman both were dating. Gonzalez walked into Cisneros' home in Penryn, east of Sacramento, when he saw his girlfriend's truck in the driveway.

Gonzalez, a 2005 graduate of Del Oro High School in Loomis, was sentenced Monday on a misdemeanor battery charge. A jury convicted him on March 26 after a two-day trial. He was also ordered to pay $650 in fines.

It is unclear whether Gonzalez's scholarship at San Jose State will be affected.

[ar182]

some good stuff here...thanks guys..

[joepa66]

UM's Grady pleads not guilty to misdemeanor drunken-driving charge
Associated Press
Updated: July 9, 2008, 2:42 PM ET

WYOMING, Mich. -- Michigan running back Kevin Grady pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor drunken-driving charge on Wednesday. Grady faces up to 93 days in jail if convicted of operating while intoxicated. Jury selection will begin Aug. 14.

Wyoming police arrested Grady on July 2 and said his blood-alcohol level registered about 3½ times the state's legal limit.

The court said Grady has not retained a lawyer. He could not be reached for comment because a home phone number could not be found. Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez has said the matter will be handled internally.

A knee injury sidelined Grady all last season. The former East Grand Rapids High standout holds the state prep career records for yards rushing and touchdowns.

[joepa66]

I recently purchased the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearkbook for 2008....it cost $22 along with $6 shipping. It's a huge book and covers just about every D1 football conference with at least 2 pages of comprehensive articles, analysis, etc. Check it out.....still waiting for the local bookstore to get me Steele's or Street&Smiths.....

And don't forget you magnifying glasses....that type in Blue Ribbon is small than this...LMAO. But that's how they squeeze in all the information....it's jammed packed!