After an avalanche of negative publicity, Notre Dame decided to grant quarterback Demetrius Jones release from his scholarship, but strings appear to be attached to the deal.Athletic director Kevin White released a statement, saying in part: "We are helping Demetrius compile a list of prospective schools that are not on our immediate future football schedules."
Although Northern Illinois, where Jones is enrolled, is not currently listed as a future opponent, the school is on the banned list, reports Michael Rothstein of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.
Writes Rothstein: "A university source, though, told the Journal Gazette that Northern Illinois — where Jones is currently enrolled — will not be on the list of places Notre Dame will allow the Chicago native to be released to."
So does this suggest Jones might be jumping to another school? John Mullin of the Chicago Tribune raised that possibility, writing: "By enrolling as he did last week at Northern Illinois, which recruited him heavily and offered him a scholarship out of high school, Jones retains his three years of college eligibility. Those could play out at Northern Illinois, Ohio State, Louisville or any of the schools that have interest in Jones, just not a school that plays Notre Dame."
As for the Jones saga having an impact on Notre Dame's ability to recruit out of the talent-rich Chicago Public League, Crewcut Charlie Weis had a two-word answer: "Corwin Brown."
Brown, the Fighting Irish's defensive coordinator, was an all-state player at Julian, and his parents taught in the Chicago Public system.
That leaves us to ponder the question: Where does Notre Dame stand under the Weis era? Marc Blaudschun of the Boston Globe gives you the facts.
5 comments:
Look, Wiz, this is getting ridiculous. If you bothered to read the entire Trib article, Jones talks about how he loves ND and Weis. This isn't ND being a jerk to him -- it's a matter of Jones and ND finally following the proper procedure of transferring, which Jones neglected to follow the week of the Michigan game. It's not as bad as everyone is making it out to be. I'm not going to defend Weis' coaching this year, yes, Weis is a rather large man [insert fat joke], and yes, ND sucks this year. But in terms of this Jones transfer, seriously, folks, read the ENTIRE article.
Unfortunately, ND and Weis are throwing their weight around and DJ has little choice but to kowtow so that they don't crush him. Fat jokes aside, ND was in the wrong here --- there are numerous adults in the ND admin who met on this matter and made a well thought out decisions...that was just plain wrong. Now they are backtracking big time. ND's arrogance has blinded them. ND is about control, and they will punish you if they want to. DJ embarrassed ND and ND threw a tizzy fit and tried to screw him over. Everyone notice - the ND emperor has no clothes.
I am an ND alum and have never been more ashamed of ND then from this (and ND has done a lot wrong in the last three years). Shame on ND. Recruits from Chicago or otherwise should "Weis Up" and go elsewhere....
Weis is an arrogant prick who cares about himself more than his school or players. Take the goggles off.
ND is handling this badly. Just let this kid go where he can play. He's what, 19?! While I agree Jones could have handled this a little better--like maybe giving a heads up before they boarded the bus to Michigan--Weis/ND is acting just as immature.
In the end, this is a kid with some talent and only a few years of eligibility with which to develop and use it. It was crystal clear that Weis was never going to give him the start once Clausen was healthy and to expect him to be happy in the role as perennial back-up is just plain cruel.
Let him go where ever he feels he has the best chance. Don't keep playing the petty games that only make you look bad. Besides, it seems to me that as long as ND holds Jones to his ND scholarship, that is one less scholarship they cn offer to another player, correct?
If only Jones could afford to just go it on his own...ND would certainly be cutting off its nose to spite its face by keeping Jones under scholarship.
Couldn't Jones agree to and enroll at one of the "approved" school and then just transfer where he wants to go day later (or as soon as ND is no longer calling the shots)?? It would be a hassle, to be sure, but it would be a nice thumbing of the nose at Weis.
Somebody should ask Charlie why Corwin Brown was kicked out of former Chicago Simeon star Martez Wilson's house during a visit last year. CB isn't quite the Public League savior he was hired to be.
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