2007 Texas Longhorns football suspensions
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Texas Longhorns football suspensions were separate incidents resulting in college football
players being suspended from the 2007 Texas Longhorn football team
at the University of Texas at Austin
. Head coach Mack Brown
suspended a total of seven players; six for alleged illegal activities, and one for a violation of National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) rules.
and linebacker Sergio Kindle
were both arrested during the summer on charges of driving while intoxicated
. Both players were suspended from the first three games of the season. They were required to do community service and also missed the first two days of practice to visit with a woman whose son was crippled by a drunk driver.
Freshman defensive tackle Andre (Dre) Jones (who had not yet played for Texas but did join spring practices) and former UT player Robert Joseph were charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. Jones was one of the team's most highly touted recruits; his high school
football career honors included Prep All-American, three-time all-state selection, first-team All-American by Parade Magazine, and Texas 4A Defensive Player of the Year by the Texas Sports Writers Association. R Head coach Mack Brown suspended Jones from the team indefinitely. Joseph, a sophomore playing safety, had been suspended from the Longhorn team in June after being arrested on misdemeanor charges of breaking into vehicles, and later announced that he was transferring. In suspending Jones, Brown said “I am extremely disappointed that four of our student-athletes have had issues with the law this summer. That is not reflective of the high standard of class, character and integrity we have established at Texas for many years. It’s a shame that these recent events have generated a great deal of negative attention, because I do think that overall, this is as good of a group of kids that I’ve ever coached. I think that will show over time.”
Brown apologized to the university's administrators, faculty, fans and students for the range of "embarrassing incidents" that occurred over the summer. "It's not what we have worked so hard for 9 ½ years to portray in our program of class, integrity and character," Brown said. "It's something we aren't proud of. But I can also assure you that it's not indicative of who this team really is. We're excited to be able to prove that." He allowed that something positive could come out of the troubles as it provides a learning and motivational opportunity. Brown said, "Our slogan [for the season] will be to 'earn the right,' because some people seem to have taken advantage of being at the University of Texas on a great team without [doing it] the right way. It's my job to make sure that the guys who are playing have earned that right."
On August 31, 2007 the University of Texas suspended Billy Pittman for three games because he accepted the use of a friend's car over the summer. The school's compliance office determined the friend was not a booster or agent and was not connected with the university but that the use of the car violated NCAA amateurism rules. The NCAA signed off on the findings. Pittman said in response to the suspension, "I want to apologize to my coaches, teammates, fans and everyone at the university for making this mistake. I was driving a friend's car and since he didn't have any ties to UT, I didn't think I was doing anything wrong. As soon as the coaches asked me about it this summer, I told them everything." Mack Brown released a statement saying, "I'm disappointed for Billy. I am confident he wouldn't intentionally do anything to be a distraction to our team. We look forward to his return for the Rice game." Pittman had been recovering from a sprained shoulder but had hoped to play in the season opener.
with codeine
. The deputy did not find a prescription for the two-drugs so Gatewood was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of a dangerous drug, a Class A misdemeanor. Longhorn football player Ben Wells was also in the car. Wells was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor, but he was not taken to jail and the team took no disciplinary action against Wells.
On September 17, 2007, James Henry was arrested on third-degree felony charges of "obstruction or retaliation and tampering or fabricating physical evidence." His player biography describes him as a "Physical, athletic second-year player who worked at running back during spring drills [and] gained valuable experience working at safety as a redshirt in 2006". Henry saw some action on special teams during the 2007 season. He was allegedly retaliating on behalf of teammate Robert Joseph, who was arrested over the summer on aggravated robbery charges. The Austin police department recorded a jail-house phone call Joseph made to Henry. Police say Henry told Joseph, “I went over there and whooped all them niggas last night, fool.” Police claim Henry went to the scene of the robbery and told one of the victims, “Bitches deserve to get kicked, so that’s what I am going to do!”. The witnesses said that Henry then kicked the victim six or seven times in the head and punched him repeatedly. Mack Brown issued a statement saying "It’s unfortunate that we have just been informed of the situation or we would have been able to address it when it allegedly occurred in July. We’ve talked with James and his family and have decided to suspend him indefinitely."
The Austin American-Statesman reported that police may have actually been seeking James Henry back in July when they arrested Andre Jones. When Robert Joseph was arrested, police said they were "police are still looking for a black man, described as 6-2 and weighing more than 220 pounds". One week later they arrested Jones, who was 6-foot-5 and 295 pounds. The Austin American-Statesman reported "That discrepancy led to some questions about possible mistaken identity regarding Jones in the days after his arrest. Now it appears that police were looking for Henry, who was listed at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds." Henry had been questioned and released on the day of the robbery.
After Jones' arrest, University of Texas President William Charles Powers Jr.
issued a statement concerning the suspensions and the team discipline. Powers said in part:
On October 6, 2007, Tyrell Gatewood was arrested on two misdemeanor drug charges; marijuana possession and for possession on a controlled substance. Gatewood was still on indefinite suspension from the football team due to his arrest less than a month earlier.
The 2007 Texas Longhorn football team
was two years removed from the school's most recent college football championship, won by the 2005 Texas Longhorn football team
. The 2006 team
finished with 10 wins, 3 losses, including a victory in the 2006 Alamo Bowl
. It received a final-ranking of 13th in the nation by both the Associated Press
AP Poll
and the USA Today Coaches Poll
The Longhorns entered the 2007 season ranked third in the all-time list of both total wins and winning percentage. A 2007 pre-season ranking by ESPN
writer Mark Schlabach
had the Longhorns ranked eighth, while College Football News
had Texas ranked third. The Longhorns came into the season ranked fourth in both the Coaches Poll
and AP Poll. Texas struggled in the first three games of the season. Their opening game was UT's first contest against Arkansas State University
and the team narrowly achieved a victory. Next, they beat the TCU Horned Frogs
in a game that required Texas to recover an onsides kick. For their first road game of the season, the Longhorns were the first opponent for the University of Central Florida
(UCF) Knights in their new stadium
. The Longhorns struggled in all three games and won by smaller margins than expected.
The Longhorns lost conference games to the Kansas State Wildcats
, the Oklahoma Sooners
, and the Texas A&M Aggies
. They hung on to avoid upset
attempts by lower-ranked Nebraska
and Oklahoma State
, the latter-game involving a 28-point fourth quarter comeback
by the Horns. UT concluded their season with a 10–3 record by winning the 2007 Holiday Bowl
against the Arizona State Sun Devils
, another first-time opponent for Texas. They were ranked tenth in the final AP poll and in the USA Today coaches' poll.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
players being suspended from the 2007 Texas Longhorn football team
2007 Texas Longhorn football team
The 2007 Texas Longhorn football team represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Mack Brown, who received the 2005 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year award...
at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
. Head coach Mack Brown
Mack Brown
William Mack Brown is head coach of The University of Texas at Austin Longhorn football team.Prior to his head coach position at Texas, Brown was head coach at Appalachian State, Tulane, and North Carolina. Brown is credited with revitalizing the Texas and North Carolina football programs...
suspended a total of seven players; six for alleged illegal activities, and one for a violation of National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) rules.
Prior to the season
Four Longhorn players were involved in legal issues during the off-season. Defensive end Henry MeltonHenry Melton
Henry Melton is a defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He is an alumnus of the University of Texas...
and linebacker Sergio Kindle
Sergio Kindle
-Baltimore Ravens:Although deemed a first-round talent by most analysts, many teams were scared off by Kindle's often-injured knee and his off-the-field incidents. Kindle fell into the second round and was ultimately drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, 43rd overall. He said in a press conference...
were both arrested during the summer on charges of driving while intoxicated
Drunk driving (United States)
Drunk driving is the act of operating and/or driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs to the degree that mental and motor skills are impaired...
. Both players were suspended from the first three games of the season. They were required to do community service and also missed the first two days of practice to visit with a woman whose son was crippled by a drunk driver.
Freshman defensive tackle Andre (Dre) Jones (who had not yet played for Texas but did join spring practices) and former UT player Robert Joseph were charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. Jones was one of the team's most highly touted recruits; his high school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
football career honors included Prep All-American, three-time all-state selection, first-team All-American by Parade Magazine, and Texas 4A Defensive Player of the Year by the Texas Sports Writers Association. R Head coach Mack Brown suspended Jones from the team indefinitely. Joseph, a sophomore playing safety, had been suspended from the Longhorn team in June after being arrested on misdemeanor charges of breaking into vehicles, and later announced that he was transferring. In suspending Jones, Brown said “I am extremely disappointed that four of our student-athletes have had issues with the law this summer. That is not reflective of the high standard of class, character and integrity we have established at Texas for many years. It’s a shame that these recent events have generated a great deal of negative attention, because I do think that overall, this is as good of a group of kids that I’ve ever coached. I think that will show over time.”
On August 31, 2007 the University of Texas suspended Billy Pittman for three games because he accepted the use of a friend's car over the summer. The school's compliance office determined the friend was not a booster or agent and was not connected with the university but that the use of the car violated NCAA amateurism rules. The NCAA signed off on the findings. Pittman said in response to the suspension, "I want to apologize to my coaches, teammates, fans and everyone at the university for making this mistake. I was driving a friend's car and since he didn't have any ties to UT, I didn't think I was doing anything wrong. As soon as the coaches asked me about it this summer, I told them everything." Mack Brown released a statement saying, "I'm disappointed for Billy. I am confident he wouldn't intentionally do anything to be a distraction to our team. We look forward to his return for the Rice game." Pittman had been recovering from a sprained shoulder but had hoped to play in the season opener.
During the season
On September 13, 2007 the University of Texas suspended Tyrell Gatewood indefinitely after he was arrested on two drug possession charges. A Travis County sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on Gatewood for "failure to signal within 100 feet before changing lanes. The deputy said the car did use its left-turn signal, but only after it had stopped at the intersection". The deputy searched the car and found less than one-hundredth of an ounce of marijuana, along with two prescription drugs, Xanax and promethazinePromethazine
Promethazine is a first-generation antihistamine of the phenothiazine family. The drug has anti-motion sickness, antiemetic, and anticholinergic effects, as well as a strong sedative effect and in some countries is prescribed for insomnia when benzodiazepines are contraindicated...
with codeine
Codeine
Codeine or 3-methylmorphine is an opiate used for its analgesic, antitussive, and antidiarrheal properties...
. The deputy did not find a prescription for the two-drugs so Gatewood was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of a dangerous drug, a Class A misdemeanor. Longhorn football player Ben Wells was also in the car. Wells was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor, but he was not taken to jail and the team took no disciplinary action against Wells.
On September 17, 2007, James Henry was arrested on third-degree felony charges of "obstruction or retaliation and tampering or fabricating physical evidence." His player biography describes him as a "Physical, athletic second-year player who worked at running back during spring drills [and] gained valuable experience working at safety as a redshirt in 2006". Henry saw some action on special teams during the 2007 season. He was allegedly retaliating on behalf of teammate Robert Joseph, who was arrested over the summer on aggravated robbery charges. The Austin police department recorded a jail-house phone call Joseph made to Henry. Police say Henry told Joseph, “I went over there and whooped all them niggas last night, fool.” Police claim Henry went to the scene of the robbery and told one of the victims, “Bitches deserve to get kicked, so that’s what I am going to do!”. The witnesses said that Henry then kicked the victim six or seven times in the head and punched him repeatedly. Mack Brown issued a statement saying "It’s unfortunate that we have just been informed of the situation or we would have been able to address it when it allegedly occurred in July. We’ve talked with James and his family and have decided to suspend him indefinitely."
The Austin American-Statesman reported that police may have actually been seeking James Henry back in July when they arrested Andre Jones. When Robert Joseph was arrested, police said they were "police are still looking for a black man, described as 6-2 and weighing more than 220 pounds". One week later they arrested Jones, who was 6-foot-5 and 295 pounds. The Austin American-Statesman reported "That discrepancy led to some questions about possible mistaken identity regarding Jones in the days after his arrest. Now it appears that police were looking for Henry, who was listed at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds." Henry had been questioned and released on the day of the robbery.
After Jones' arrest, University of Texas President William Charles Powers Jr.
William C. Powers
William Charles Powers Jr. is the 28th president of The University of Texas at Austin, a position he has held since February 1, 2006....
issued a statement concerning the suspensions and the team discipline. Powers said in part:
I applaud Coach Mack Brown for taking swift action in disciplining a member of his football team. I strongly endorse the penalties he has imposed on this player and others who have been arrested for various offenses. I know Coach Brown feels accountable for the conduct of his team and that these players must be held accountable for their own behavior on and off the field.
It is important for these young men to understand that with the celebrity that comes with being part of the football program comes an inherent responsibility. When they get involved in criminal behavior or act inappropriately they embarrass themselves, their teammates and respected former players who have built the tradition of Texas football, their coaching staff and their university.
On October 6, 2007, Tyrell Gatewood was arrested on two misdemeanor drug charges; marijuana possession and for possession on a controlled substance. Gatewood was still on indefinite suspension from the football team due to his arrest less than a month earlier.
The team
2007 Texas Longhorn football team
The 2007 Texas Longhorn football team represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Mack Brown, who received the 2005 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year award...
was two years removed from the school's most recent college football championship, won by the 2005 Texas Longhorn football team
2005 Texas Longhorn football team
The 2005 Texas Longhorn football team represented the University of Texas at Austin during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season, winning the Big 12 Conference championship and the national championship. The team was coached by Mack Brown, led on offense by quarterback Vince Young, and played...
. The 2006 team
2006 Texas Longhorn football team
The 2006 Texas Longhorn football team represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head football coach was Mack Brown, who received the 2006 Paul "Bear" Bryant Award for "Coach of the Year". The Longhorns play their home games in...
finished with 10 wins, 3 losses, including a victory in the 2006 Alamo Bowl
2006 Alamo Bowl
The 2006 Alamo Bowl Game was a college football bowl game, part of the 2006–2007 bowl season of the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 2006 Alamo Bowl was played in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on December 30....
. It received a final-ranking of 13th in the nation by both the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
and the USA Today Coaches Poll
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
The Longhorns entered the 2007 season ranked third in the all-time list of both total wins and winning percentage. A 2007 pre-season ranking by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
writer Mark Schlabach
Mark Schlabach
Mark Schlabach is an author and columnist for ESPN.com. Schlabach joined ESPN.com in July 2006 as a college football and college basketball columnist. He is notable during college football season for the weekly "Bottom 10" article....
had the Longhorns ranked eighth, while College Football News
College Football News
College Football News is a magazine and website published by College Football News, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. News coverage includes scores, statistics, rankings, and reports on college football games. Analysis includes comparisons between teams, predictions of game outcomes and...
had Texas ranked third. The Longhorns came into the season ranked fourth in both the Coaches Poll
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
and AP Poll. Texas struggled in the first three games of the season. Their opening game was UT's first contest against Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University is a public university and is the flagship campus of the Arkansas State University System, the state's second largest college system and third largest university by enrollment. It is located atop on Crowley's Ridge at Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA...
and the team narrowly achieved a victory. Next, they beat the TCU Horned Frogs
2007 TCU Horned Frogs football team
The 2007 Texas Christian Horned Frog football team represented Texas Christian University in the 2007 college football season. The team was coached by Gary Patterson, who took over the program in December 2000. The Frogs play their home games in Amon G...
in a game that required Texas to recover an onsides kick. For their first road game of the season, the Longhorns were the first opponent for the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
(UCF) Knights in their new stadium
Bright House Networks Stadium
Bright House Networks Stadium is the football stadium for the University of Central Florida’s football team, nicknamed the Knights. Located in Knights Plaza on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, the stadium was the first on-campus stadium in NCAA Division I...
. The Longhorns struggled in all three games and won by smaller margins than expected.
The Longhorns lost conference games to the Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
, the Oklahoma Sooners
2007 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2007 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2007-2008, winning the Big 12 Conference Championship for the fifth time in eight years. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops...
, and the Texas A&M Aggies
2007 Texas A&M Aggies football team
The 2007 Texas A&M Aggies football team represented Texas A&M University in the 2007-2008 college football season. The team was coached by Dennis Franchione, who had coached at A&M since the 2003 season, but resigned at the conclusion of the annual game with the University of Texas...
. They hung on to avoid upset
Upset
An upset occurs in a competition, frequently in electoral politics or sports, when the party popularly expected to win , is defeated by an underdog whom the majority expects to lose, defying the conventional wisdom...
attempts by lower-ranked Nebraska
2007 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2007 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Bill Callahan and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska....
and Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State Cowboys football
The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
, the latter-game involving a 28-point fourth quarter comeback
2007 Texas vs. Oklahoma State football game
The 2007 Texas vs. Oklahoma State football game was a college football game played November 3, 2007 between the 2007 Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Oklahoma State took an early lead in the game and led 35–14 at the start of the fourth quarter. For the fourth time...
by the Horns. UT concluded their season with a 10–3 record by winning the 2007 Holiday Bowl
2007 Holiday Bowl
The 2007 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 27, 2007 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season and one of 32 games in the 2007-2008 bowl season. It featured the Texas Longhorns against the Arizona State Sun...
against the Arizona State Sun Devils
Arizona State Sun Devils football
The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference....
, another first-time opponent for Texas. They were ranked tenth in the final AP poll and in the USA Today coaches' poll.