Oregon football coach Chip Kelly said in announcement from Eugene, Oregon, today that Jeremiah Masoli has been suspended for the entire 2010 season. He will be eligible to return to the team in 2011.
Kelly’s announcement came just hours after Masoli pleaded guilty to misdemeanor burglary in a Lane County courtroom. Masoli was sentenced to a year probation, 140 hours of community service and restitution for stolen property.
Kelly added that LaMichael James will be suspended for one game to start the 2010 season. James was also in court today, pleading guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge brought by a female friend.
Oregon Kicker Rob Beard was given a one-game suspension during the same announcement. He pleaded guilty recently to the same charge as James.
Kelly has also recently dismissed former Oregon football players Garrett Embry, Jamere Holland and Matt Simms from the team because of off-field issues. Backup player Kiko Alsonso recently received a season-long suspension from Kelly after being arrested for DUI.
Verdict on the Masoli and James punishment? Both might’ve gotten off light. A good many coaches would’ve dumped Masoli after the quarterback lied repeatedly about his role in the Jan. 24 burglary.
James could’ve used two games, but at least Kelly did something. There was speculation rampant in the Oregon media that James would miss zero games.
Does today change the perception of Oregon football? No.
In the case of Masoli, Kelly had an opportunity to show the world that he was in complete command of his program and that no player, no matter how important, was above the rules.
By giving Masoli another chance, Kelly let himself and the program down. Kelly won’t get many better chances to truly put his personal stamp on Oregon football. But Masoli, somehow, will.
7:35 pm on March 12th, 2010
How Mazoli stays in school period! surprises me! He needs to be thrown out just for the monumental lies alone, let alone the burglary which surprises me that any kind of burglary has a lighter misdemeanor tag to it.
8:01 pm on March 12th, 2010
A year suspension in the “through the looking glass” world of the University of Oregon menas he’ll miss about 6 games.
9:31 pm on March 12th, 2010
The program, or AD, needs to step up and take stronger action. LMJ gets no team penalty and Maz wil get 3 - 5 games (because Oregon has a good back-up at QB). Everyone now knows season suspensions mean nothing. Bench warmers are kicked off team, but stars get a pass.
12:08 am on March 13th, 2010
Yeah Masoli got off real easy Mr. Dissapointed. James was freaking railroaded by the DA. Read the sentencing transcript, how he ever was charged with strangulation is absurd. Lane County DA must be the same DA that tried to prosecute the Duke Lacrosse case.
1:52 am on March 13th, 2010
You missed the tiger ambulance ride domestic violence story bad.
1:58 am on March 13th, 2010
Should have showed some balls and released him. His program is running out of control>
3:55 am on March 13th, 2010
masoli will be taking a job with the obama admin as ethics advisor
9:12 am on March 13th, 2010
Tony Dungy better buy a house in Eugene to get all this straightned out!
12:08 am on March 15th, 2010
What I find fascinating is that everyone if slamming Kelly when these are all his predecessors recruits.
7:34 pm on March 20th, 2010
USC, best players money can buy.
UofO, thugs run the show.
1:14 am on June 10th, 2010
Chip Kelly is a well known racist in Oregon. Kicking a player off the team for not stopping exiting a driveway. Nice work. He’s also the guy who suspended Blount for the season when a white player shoved him and he retalliated; even the opposing coach said nothing was wrong, and tempers flare in the heat of battle. Kelly should be terminated by now.