Disciplinary issues at UT?
by Adam West
Former Florida commit Nu'Keese Richardson was one of three Tennessee players arrested on charges of attempted armed robbery on Thursday in Knoxville. (The Associated Press)
This stuff writes itself.
Just one day after Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin was boasting about having zero arrests in his first 11 months on the job, three Volunteers freshmen are arrested on charges of attempted armed robbery.
One of the players facing charges is receiver Nu’Keese Richardson, whom Kiffin so famously bragged about taking from under Florida coach Urban Meyer’s nose on signing day.
The two other players arrested, safety Janzen Jackson and defensive back Mike Edwards, were part of coach Kiffin’s top 10 recruiting class last year.
According to a police report, the three Tennessee players (one of them allegedly brandishing a pellet gun) approached a parked car outside of a convenience store and two of them demanded money. When the people in the car opened their wallets and showed them that they had no cash, the players fled the scene and were later arrested by Knoxville police. One of the players apparently was wearing Tennessee gear when he was booked.
On Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference, Kiffin was talking about what assistant coach Ed Orgeron brings to the table for Tennessee. One of the points he mentioned was that Orgeron plays a role in disciplinary issues within the team. Not to say that Orgeron is responsible for what happened with these three players, but the Volunteers defensive line coach does have a few skeletons in his closet.
When Orgeron was an assistant coach at the University of Miami in the early ’90s, he had some legal issues including accusations of domestic violence and an arrest on charges of felony second-degree battery for his role in a bar fight in Baton Rouge.
These incidents happened more than 15 years ago and people do change their ways, but you do have to wonder if this is a guy that student athletes can look up to as a role model.
The bottom line in this story though is that no matter how hard coaches try to keep these kids under control, it’s human nature to make mistakes. Coaches can’t spend 24 hours of every day babysitting their athletes.
Nukeese showed his lack of integrity when he played Coach Meyers and the entire Gator Nation. It is a shame though! Had he came to UF, he would have likely been a key cog in the wheel and not in the position he now finds himself. If he is indeed guilty, he will go to prison for a minimum of 3 years. That is 3 of Kiffin’s top recruits – all of which moved his first recruiting class into the top 10. Now you take those 3 out of the mix and UT’s last recruiting class becomes a wash. Kiffin is getting what he deserves. It’s sad, though, to see three talented young lives on the verge of ruin. Let’s see what kind of man Kiffin is now. Maybe he will be a little more restrained before saying negative things about other coaches and their disciplinary issues! Meyer, Saban and Spurrier all have to be chuckling – not about the young lives ruined; but, kiffin’s embarassment!
by John C
Whoopie said it wasn’t robbery robbery.
Thank you Corch Kiffin for telling NuKeese he’d have a better chance for the big money at UT!
by gatorman770
as much as i would like to blast kiffin i can’t. this is the sad state of our young people today. common sense has gone out the window,the coaches can’t tie a cow bell around their neck and watch them 24/7,the young men have to take resonsibility for their actions. hopefully they are punished to the full extend of the law. if found guilty they should be discharged from UT at once,they should be allowed to get a college education but not with an athletic scholarship at ANY institution. i am just thankful that it wasn’t any of our kids at UF,doesn’t make ours any better or worse just smarter.
by tim
I couldn’t imagine them getting 3 years though- maybe they’ll just let them transfer to FSU! Isnt that like being in prison for a few years?
by Petey J
Looks like Ricardson took Kiffin literally. He was trying to make big money a little too early. Perhaps literally is not the proper word in this situation.
by Ron Baxley
Tennessee boosters must be tapped out paying all those assistants- where are the handouts to the players?
by JB
These Tennessee kids are pathetic.
At least Florida recruits would have used real guns.
In football as in real life, Tennessee uses play guns.
by GatorChuck
Hey, maybe Timmy can cousel these guys next time he makes an appearance at one of the prisons he visits. Sorry, I could not resist. Thank goodness for Urban Meyer. What a shame these young men made such a detrimental mistake. It all starts with choosing the right coach.
by HCF Gator
Karma!
by Marty Sanders
Chickens…..comin home to roost !!. Lane, Lane, Lane… you gotta teach your children well.
I actually hope they can get away from the charges.. but the headline and I am sure the security film.. will look real bad. This is serious felony stuff.
Mouth of the South… needs to focus on the boys.
by Gator Nation
Hyundai, Prius, pellet gun, wearing Tenn. gear, etc….if it weren’t so sad it would be funny. Hell, it is funny.
by Travis Smith
It’s all about street cred, baby!
by Stephen
I just hope Lame Snifflin just realizes that what goes around, comes around. This is in no way Lamo’s fault…..but….for talkin all your trash to the Gator Nation, I wish your program nothing but the worst! Let’s do it again Gators!
by Gator Nation in MD
This is beyond irony. Only a couple of weeks ago Kiffin took a shot at Urban with his little comment about the Brandon Spikes situation, then starts bragging about the no arrest record he has (had) at Tennessee and how they run a “disciplined” ship. I’m sure he was telling the parents of recruits that and trying to contrast Florida’s arrests under Meyer. But ARMED ROBBERY!!! Guess that little speech won’t work anymore… And Nu’Keese…he made the mistake of his life buying into what Kiffin was selling and look where he is now…
by TampaDave
I couldn’t have written this any better. Kiffin’s getting what he deserves.
by The Tim
The real truth is ………. we don’t really know if this is the first time any of these young men have done things like this before. There is a chance that this may not be the first incident of this kind any (or all) of these fellas may have been involved in ……. who knows? Maybe it’s just the first time they were caught.
Was it done for the money or just the thrill? WHO KNOWS?
The only thing for certain is that it was one hell of a mistake that they will all have to live with for a long time to come.
A thug is a thug ….. people who care about others don’t make mistakes like this. Pointing a gun (any gun) at another person is not a small or casual matter.
by Ron
Exactly why universities need to have student/athletes holding each other accountable. When are these institutions going to incorporate a reliable mentoring program? Three freshmen hanging out at this time of night spells trouble. Sadly, this could have happened at most campuses. Most importantly, what will all the NCAA schools learn from yet another crime due to immaturity?
by Oreg8r
Yep!!!!
Head coach.
by Dennis
I just pray that these kids if found guilty will get some sort of deferred sentencing that will not leave them with a felony conviction on their records. I guess you can look at the bright side in that the victims did not have a real gun and left three young men dead on that street. I also agree that if Tim can minister to them their lives may be turned around. God does work in strange ways sometimes.
by Gator007
When the head coach has shown such contempt for proper social norms and brags on his ability to break rules without consequences, it will inevitably spread to assistants and players. When this happens a culture emerges with predictable results. Lame should not be bragging on his shady conquests and should not be recruiting convicted felons and rapists. Unfortunately for UT this signals the beginning and not the end of troubles.
by Fire truck
After seeing three of the guys lil Lanie recruited last year up for attemped armed robbery, the question arises, why did they think they could get away with something like that? We all know that athletes of this caliber have been treated as “special” since their early teens, and that process continues through the recruiting period. In many of these kids it leads to a sense of entitlement; a sense that the rules that apply to everybody else don’t apply to them.
Seeing as how it was the top three players in Kiffin’s last year’s class that were involved, what did Kiffin and his staff do or not do to give these kids the idea that their actions would be sanctioned by their coach? There had to be something other than Kiffin’s boyish charm in play. To take a player away from a team that is the defending national champion and and two other 5 stars, you have to wonder whether there was consideration other than room, board, tution and books in play in this case.
Whatever the facts in that case, these arrests are something that Urban can legitimately talk about to the parents of prospective signees during the recruiting process. Thanks, Lane!
by jwill
Noe dadgummit, you folkd back off Lane and Nu’Keese! After all, it ain’t like they shot the President!
by SaintBobbyBowden
at least they were driving an environmentally friendly car. seriously, go to hell kiffin!
by matty
Kiffin has acted so childish. It is his win at all costs.
The one player was recently suspended re: drugs, from what I heard. I think one of the sportswriters was blasted because he reported it. the fans then blasted the sportswriter.
I wonder if the true vol fans know what they have gotten themselves into. Three top recruits will probably be gone. Right during height of recruting season. Boy Wonder has some explaining to do.
by dangator
Tennessee is starting to act and talk like the Oakland Raiders…sad to see young men destroy themselves.
by JACK MANHEIMER
I’m proud that Florida keeps its house as clean as it can. I’m sure TN does the same, but I too question the ability of somebody like Orgeron as a mentor, and while we’re at it, how about the same question for somebody like Lame Snifflin?
I’m just saying, let he w/o sin cast the first stone. Lane cast a bit too soon, imho. I wish the fans and the program there well, but as long as THAT Snifflin’s in charge, what they get just gives me more reason to smile.
by shannon
If a Florida player suspends himself a game for attempted eye gouging, how many games should a Tennessee player suspend himself for attempted robbery?
I see a train wreck slowly building in Knoxville.
Wonder hom many Tennessee boosters would like to have Phil fulmer back?
Lastly, now Nu’Keese’s mamma will have to drive all the way to Tennessee to see her boy. Reaford would have been so much closer!
by GatorChuck
Look a thug is a thug and it does not matter if he was at Florida or anywhere else he would have still done something of this nature. You just can not stop some people from themselves. Who knows if he was at Florida it could have been something worse you just never know. I think the point to take away is he is a thug and will always be in trouble no matter where he goes.
by Clint
It’s sad to see this happen to any young men even when they represent Kiffy’s program. now let’s see how Kiffy handles the problem!!! One was let out on bail, one is still in jail and one walked out on his own recognizance, I wonder which one that was, could it be the one that started 8 games and contributed the most as a freshman???
by SHUMAN
unfortunately in today’s world there is nobody who laughs last.just glad it wasnt the Gators.
by alan gorodn
This is a sad situation. I wondered about Nu’Keese Richardson’s character after the way he handled his recruiting process. It appears Richardson’s true colors began coming out then, especially since he just got arrested. Richardson may have done the same type of thing in Gainesville; the only difference is that he would have taken down other Gators players with him. It’s sad that these young men made a bad decision and messed up their lives.
by Gary
These youngmen made a that we way to often see youngmen make. Lane Kiffin is not a youngman and he does not make a youngman mistake when he runs his mouth.He is doing it so he can attract players who what to play for an “outlaw”. Well, jackass, this is what you get.
by Billy Smith
[...] the season.2. Adam West of The Gainesville Sun wonders if Tennessee assistant Ed Orgeron is a man athletes can look up to.3. Troy’s Larry Blakeney continues to try and clear up stories that he predicted a Trojan [...]
by Afternoon Grab Bag | MrSEC.com
Nuke had a character issue we didn’t see until he backed out of his verbal. Maybe he would have been a different kid with Urban. The UF players know from the start that they have to earn their playing time. Kiffin blew smoke up Nuke’s butt about how he would be famous at UT and because everyone else in the program was listening to the same tune the ‘where’s mine’ mentality set in.
I wouldn’t wish the crap I believe is going to happen at UT before Kiffin is gone on any football program. They are dancing with the devil.
by 1974gator
Bwahahahahahahahahahaha! Sorry. Just had to get that out of my system.
Since the attempted robbery took place at a chain owned by a big-time UT booster, should this be considered UT’s version of athlete employment? Maybe Urban should call UT out for an NCAA violation.
Nah. At Oklahoma Bomar got paid by a booster for not working. Sounds like Nu’Keese and crew did the work but didn’t get paid. So they’re probably in the clear…
by SchadenfreudeGator
I feel bad for the good and loyal Vol Fans who have to endure kiffie. It will be interesting to see how kiffie talks his way out of this one. Also, the arrest occured over 24 hours ago, and the UT Athletic Dept and loud mouth kiffie remain quiet. Yes, we have had problems at UF, but Coach Meyer does not waste time in confronting the problem.
kiffie deserved this one, but these kids made a stupid mistake. It appears that there is no curfew for UT players during the season if they can be on the streets at 2 a.m. on a school night with practice later in the day. kiffie will not be so fast to criticize UF and UGA now, but then again he is arrogant and stupid.
Go Gators!
by mike
Like the wheel…….it comes around.
by George A. Poulos
Okay all together…let the GREEN MOUNTAIN Gang ride again..politically correct in their green concious mode of get-a-way jalopy…very un democratic in their choice of greeting to their fellow Tennesee brethren.
This is going way over the top imho…
by shannon
This is truly sad.
The Jackson could was in the convenience store when the two knuckleheads pulled the pellet gun, so maybe he is an innocent party here. I truly hope that is the case.
It this the first time that a Prius has been used as a get-away car?
by John
This is sad… Who cares about recruiting when three 18-year old athletes could go to jail for 5 to 8-years. From reading the comments above it seems Nu’keese made the right decision when he went to UT. Gator fans only care what you can do for them on the field!
by Byron
Guess Coach Kiffin will give them a “serious talk” and sit them out the first half of the Vandy game ’cause they were just retaliating for being “robbed” in the Bama game. How many Gators have been arrested this year? Guess Tennessee will have to try and keep up with us a little harder.
by GAtor boy
Let’s just be glad that this didn’t happen to us. With true freshman coming to campus, sometimes you really don’t know what you are getting. This could happen anywhere, anytime to about any program.
by Brent
Can you imagine the coach’s meeting when word got out about the arrests? Dodged a bullet on that one! Or should I say pellet? I’m sure the little smile Coach is famous for made an appearance when he thinks about all the posturing Kiffin has been doing for the last few months. Guess it’s a good thing Richardson made his decision. Now he has to sleep with it.
by bunkerhill
While this could happen at any school, I’m sure glad it happened to them and not us. If you remove these 3 blue chip recruits from Kiffin’s first recruiting class, does this give UT just a mediocre recruiting season? Kiffin had better hope that the Vols start winning some games because the people in Knoxville will not put up with thug behavior AND losing at the same time. I truly feel sorry for the average UT fan who is totally powerless to do anything about stupid 18 year olds acting like gangstas. These kids made a huge mistake and it could just as easily have been our freshmen – maybe next time it will be. Unless Urban plans on bed checks on each and every player every night of their entire college lives, there is no way to prevent this from happening in Gainesville.
by Mike in New Hampshire
Hey, I just noticed Nu’Keese is wearing Michael Vick’s number! Coincidence? I think not!
by Mike in New Hampshire
Kiffin will continue to attract low character, me first type players. Lane will continue to build recruits up to be selfish. A win at all costs philosophy will kill a program. Kiffen is a punk and will draw in punks. Kiffen reminds me of the verse “pride cometh before a fall and a haughty spirit before destruction”.
It seems like Urban really preaches the team mindset and that recruits earn playing time. Yes trouble will still happen at UF but not if Urban sees it coming it in advance, as in a recruitment. If Meyer does see it he will probably recommend UT or UM.
by Bill
GO GATORS.ROFLMAO.NOW TALK KIFFIN.WHAT CAN YOU SAY NOW.HOW YOU GOING TO WORM YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS?I BEAT IT WONT BE WITH WORDS.FELONES NOT FELLOWS PLEASE RISE.SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.AND GO GATORS ROLL OVER TIDE.
by BORN GATOR IN THE SOUTH
I know this sounds crazy at first, but I think Meyer should bail Richardson out of jail. Then he can remind every single recruit that is considering both UF and UT who did what. Which is – UT promised the world, used deception and unethical actions to steal a recruit, lied about what their contributions to the team would be, how much better their future in the NFL would be, and then left them hanging out to dry at the first (?) sign of trouble (not to belittle how serious armed robbery is, it is huge!). All the while UF took the high road and when things got rough and tried to help set the young man on the right course. If convicted he’ll be in Tennessee jail for 3 years, which will be longer than Kiffen’s tenure anyway.
by Doogie