Ford Suspended.....

[Brad]

Where is the wailing a gnashing of teeth because Brett reported another negative story about the Bulls?   :  :  :  :

You really can't discern the issue?

[usf97]

Hope this helps Kelly get more in the gameplan those 1st two games. Just pound it.

[Brad]

This isn't a "negative story" this is factual.

BMM didn't add commentary to this like he can do... and he didn't make it sound like either a repeat issue for Ford or an ongoing problem for USF.

Which is very surprising because Brett wrote that piece based on the very same press release I received in which Chris Freet also said - and Brett and Tommy hate this - "I do not have any additional information and I do not expect further comment from the coaching staff."

No more comment.

Naturally we would have expected from Brett a some mud-slinging because once again this head coach chooses not to air dirty laundry to local papers.  That frustrates Brett.  I'm happy he withheld his typically wrong speculations, assumptions and negative attacks and didn't try to say that because there is no further discussion that whatever Ford did (or didn't do) must have been condoned by Leavitt, Woolard, and Genshaft.

[crambone]

He was suspended for the game @ FAU in 2007 for skipping classes.

[Big_Hairy_Bull]

You guys all spoke way too early about McMuffin. This was the article he had posted for about 30 minutes but then I checked and he omitted it. Wierd! I made a copy just in case. Glad I did. Wonder why he had this up and then took it down?

Ford suspended first two games

Posted August 17, 2009 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Aug 17, 2009 at 11:46 AM

University of South Florida junior running back Mike Ford has been suspended for the Bulls’ opening two games for a violation of team rules, Coach Jim Leavitt announced today.

The length of Ford’s suspension equals the length of a suspension for a USF student-athlete failing a second drug test. Ford will miss games against Division I-AA Wofford and at Western Kentucky. He will be eligible to return Sept. 19 against I-AA Charleston Southern.

Under USF’s substance abuse policy, a second positive test results in suspension from “competitions equal to 20 percent of the maximum allowable regular season intercollegiate competitions allowed by the NCAA.â€

The NCAA allows 12 regular season football games, so the suspension for a USF football player failing a second drug test would be 2.4 games. Under USF’s policy, any fraction at .49 or below is rounded down to the lower number, which results in a two-game suspension.

There is no suspension for a first positive test, while a third positive test results in a student-athlete’s dismissal from the program, USF’s policy states.

At Saturday’s USF media day, Ford said his goal this season was rushing for more than 1,000 yards.

“My personal goals, over a 1,000 rushing yards, at least,†Ford said. “My goal is to break every time I get it, score every time I get it.â€

USF running backs coach Carl Franks has said he prefers to have one or two backs to get the bulk of the carries this season, but Ford said Saturday he wasn’t ready to be “the workhorse†yet.

“I’m not that guy yet, because I still have some work to do,†Ford said. “I just can’t go in there and think I’m the workhorse. I still have some work to do. I have to prove it and show it. I feel like I’m not there yet.â€

As a freshman, Ford rushed for 645 yards. Injuries limited him to 417 yards as a sophomore.

[BULLfreak]

G.A. thinks it comes from him missing classes again

http://blogs.tampabay.com/usf/

[Brad]

Greg has that up right now...he prefaces it, so who knows who got the idea first...I think it's a risky hand to play and unnecessary speculation regarding a student-athlete.

From Greg's Blog:

"Without knowing that it applies here, the specific length of the suspension also would match the penalty for a second violation of the athletic department's substance abuse policy."

[DELdaBull]

I liked that he said he wanted to prove it. I don't like that Ford won't be out there for 2 games to start proving it.

[Brad]

G.A. thinks it comes from him missing classes again

http://blogs.tampabay.com/usf/

He also suggests it could be drugs.  Bad form.  It could have been a bad word too, you know? 

[mattegunz]

legalize it...