Starting QB Johnson kicked off football team
Al Muskewitz
Issue date: 2/21/08 Section: Sports
Jones was academically ineligible last year. He had played in 20 games with 43 tackles and, with Crowe calling him "our best defensive lineman," was projected to be a starter at defensive end this season. His violations involved repeated breaches of accountability.
"You cannot have this inside of your senior class," Crowe said. "Would we be doing the same thing if they were sophomores? Probably not … In both these guys' cases, they have been given every chance for this not to happen. They're seniors. Enough is enough."
Crowe had been considering dismissing the players "for a couple days," but waited to finalize his decision until he was certain his decisions could not be appealed.
Crowe said the loss of both players "definitely creates an obstacle for us."
The Gamecocks have only to look on the depth chart to find Jones' replacement; they don't have that luxury with Johnson's ouster. Junior Santez Mays is expected to replace Jones and will be available for spring practice. Their two quarterbacks won't arrive until August.
They signed Marques Ivory of Northside-Warner Robins (Ga.) and Casey Weston of Prattville in February's recruiting class, but neither will have collegiate experience when the Gamecocks open their season in August at Georgia Tech.
The Gamecocks are expected to use walk-ons Riley Green of Jacksonville and Skylar Ray of Cherokee County, an original UAB signee, as their quarterbacks in the spring. Green lined up mostly at tight end last year. Starting safety Kenny Walker, a converted wide receiver who played quarterback in high school, is their third quarterback.
"I'm fully prepared to solve this problem with high school guys," Crowe said. "Part of what caused this problem is quick fixes, and I don't want to put a band-aid on something where we've got a future where we're trying to raise the quality of this program. A band-aid won't do that."
"You cannot have this inside of your senior class," Crowe said. "Would we be doing the same thing if they were sophomores? Probably not … In both these guys' cases, they have been given every chance for this not to happen. They're seniors. Enough is enough."
Crowe had been considering dismissing the players "for a couple days," but waited to finalize his decision until he was certain his decisions could not be appealed.
Crowe said the loss of both players "definitely creates an obstacle for us."
The Gamecocks have only to look on the depth chart to find Jones' replacement; they don't have that luxury with Johnson's ouster. Junior Santez Mays is expected to replace Jones and will be available for spring practice. Their two quarterbacks won't arrive until August.
They signed Marques Ivory of Northside-Warner Robins (Ga.) and Casey Weston of Prattville in February's recruiting class, but neither will have collegiate experience when the Gamecocks open their season in August at Georgia Tech.
The Gamecocks are expected to use walk-ons Riley Green of Jacksonville and Skylar Ray of Cherokee County, an original UAB signee, as their quarterbacks in the spring. Green lined up mostly at tight end last year. Starting safety Kenny Walker, a converted wide receiver who played quarterback in high school, is their third quarterback.
"I'm fully prepared to solve this problem with high school guys," Crowe said. "Part of what caused this problem is quick fixes, and I don't want to put a band-aid on something where we've got a future where we're trying to raise the quality of this program. A band-aid won't do that."
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Willie Bean
posted 2/08/09 @ 2:21 AM CST
Johnson signed to Finland Maple League Team for 2009 season.
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