MUTS lose 3 to grades

MeanGreen61 · July 13, 2005

http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A.../507130313/1006

MTSU loses three football players to grades

By ADAM SPARKS

sparks@dnj.com

Three prominent MTSU football players will sit out the 2005 season for failing to meet NCAA academic requirements.

The Blue Raiders' leading tackler in 2004, linebacker Marcel Horne, joins sophomore defensive end Antoine Owens and sophomore running back DeMarco McNair on the sidelines as academically ineligible.

"For now, I can say we're planning that those guys will be taking a redshirt year and move to the scout team, where they'll help our offense and defense get better," said MTSU coach Andy McCollum.

Horne started 10 games last season after replacing Jonathan Bonner, who suffered a season-ending injury in the 2004 opener at Akron. Horne recorded a team-high 66 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack at weakside linebacker.

Owens served in MTSU's rotation at defensive end, starting the final two games of 2004. However, he had already dropped on the depth chart during spring drills.

McNair was to be one of three tailbacks vying for carries in the MTSU backfield this season. On the sidelines for much of last year, McNair exploded for a 67-yard touchdown run in a season-ending loss at Troy, marking the longest MTSU run since Dwone Hicks' 79-yard scamper in 2000.

The loss of the three players will reshuffle the depth chart a bit, pushing new promising players closer to the limelight.

"We're disappointed that they can't help us this year, but that will only give some of our newer guys more of an opportunity to get on the field," McCollum said. "We're real excited about the ones we've got coming back and the new ones we've got coming in."

Bonner is slated to return from injury for fall camp, while upstarts Tavares Jones and Anthony Glover will compete for a starting position alongside veteran starter Dennis Burke. Highly touted junior college transfers Chance Dunleavy and J.K. Sabb should also solidify depth at linebacker, while the versatility of Justin Rainey and newcomer Lonnie Clemmons could also prove valuable shifting to linebacker.

At running back, starter Eugene Gross and reserve Terry Jackson return, but McNair's ineligibility leaves depth as an issue. Former Riverdale High standout Ralph King or freshman Alex Suber could fill the void.

Despite Owens' absence, sophomores Erik Walden and Sean Mosley make up one of the top young defensive end tandems in the Sun Belt.

Senior defensive end Devarick Scandrett also returns after starting eight career games, including four last year, and senior Raymond Chaney should also see increased playing time.

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MTSU FOOTBALL DATES OF NOTE

Aug. 7 Team reports

Aug. 12 First full-contact practice

Aug. 20 Fan Day

Aug. 29 First day of class

Sept. 3 Season opener at Alabama

Tickets for Alabama road game, as well as season and single-game tickets for MTSU's five home games can be purchased by calling 898-2103.

Originally published July 13, 2005

NCMeanGreen · July 13, 2005

Can you take a RS year just based on grades? Isn't that, in a way, rewarding you for being stuipid????

Stan R · July 13, 2005

Can you take a RS year just based on grades? Isn't that, in a way, rewarding you for being stuipid????

LOL!!! I don't think there's such a thing as a dumbass shirt... Or maybe they just invented one at MTSU?

Cerebus · July 13, 2005

uhm... *cough* we have done the same thing *cough*

It's perfectly within the rules.

Norwester · July 13, 2005

This could have a bigger effect that one might think. Their running game sucks, so losing McNair makes it that much worse. Although their top three LBs look pretty good, I don't see much depth and anytime you lose your top tackler, it's going to hurt. Their DL should still be tough even without Owens.