The Green and White is looking a little black and blue these days. But the good news is Athletics Director Ron Mason started the healing process Monday after firing Bobby Williams from his head coaching job.
When asked if he had lost control of his 3-6 team, Williams told Mason, “I don’t know.”
It seems Williams had.
Three of four team captains have run into serious trouble this season - junior quarterback Jeff Smoker is suspended indefinably as he battles a substance abuse problem; senior tailback Dawan Moss was cut after being charged Sunday with drunken driving and eluding police; and junior center Brian Ottney was benched for foul trouble.
Only senior safety Thomas Wright remains a steady figure on the field - knock on wood.
But we wish the problems ended with the team’s leadership.
Junior defensive end Greg Taplin was suspended from Saturday’s game against the University of Michigan for breaking unspecified team training rules and sophomores linebacker James Cooper and running back Jason Bradley quit the team voluntarily.
And the rap sheet gets even longer when you factor in incidents the occurred before this season:
• Sophomore defensive end Clifford Dukes found himself in court facing charges that he assaulted someone at an October 2001 fraternity party. He was later acquitted.
• Junior center DeMarco Monroe pleaded guilty to an August 2001 assault of a former member of the women’s crew team outside an East Lansing pizzeria.
• Sophomore tight end Eric Knott pleaded guilty in June 2001 to fourth-degree criminal sexual assault involving a 13-year-old Detroit girl.
• Sophomore quarterback Damon Dowdell was charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct in the same incident. He pleaded to lesser charges of assault and battery.
Fans are left to wonder what else is happening behind the scenes as MSU athletic officials remain relatively silent about the happenings of Spartan football.
It’s unfortunate, but from the outside the football program looks dirty. Unless athletics department officials start addressing problems publicly, we’ll never know the truth.
We hope Mason is ready to start explaining the problems before NCAA investigators have to book a flight to Capital City Airport to find out what is going on.
We all realize MSU officials cannot talk about some issues because of federal law. But Spartan faithful need something to give them assurance.
It is time for Mason to continue addressing the virus that seems to be plaguing the football program. If Mason stays silent after Monday, people will still be left to wondering which team member will fall next - that is not fair to fans or players.
The bottom line is the Spartan football team is in shambles, not because of a 3-6 record, but because players are getting themselves into trouble.
It is believed that Smoker’s substance abuse problem began his freshman year. If that is the case, people are only left to wonder how that problem was allowed to grow until late into his junior season and if other players might be facing similar problems.
Mason and football leaders need to continue talking before NCAA officials begin to do it for them.
