SportsLink

WSU’s Jones kicked off team

Posted by Vince

Feb. 9, 2010 2:32 p.m. • 11 comments

COUGARS • UPDATED: 4:35 P.M.

We’ve got a short story on the link. An arrest at WSU and it leads to a dismissal. Read on …

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• Here’s the short piece …

PULLMAN – Starting cornerback Brandon Jones, arrested and charged with driving under the influence early Saturday morning by the Washington State University police, was dismissed from the team Tuesday.

Football coach Paul Wulff decided to dismiss Jones for “violation of team rules,” according to WSU sports information director Bill Stevens.

Jones, a senior-to-be, was arrested at 3:13 a.m. just north of campus, according to the police report.

Jones, who played at O’Dea High in Seattle, started his collegiate career at Cal, redshirting his first year in Berkeley. After playing a season for the Bears, he transferred to WSU and sat out the 2008 season.

He started 11 games for the Cougars in 2009, missing the Apple Cup with the lingering effects of a back injury first suffered against Notre Dame. He posted 37 tackles, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Jones also returned two kickoffs and a punt.

Pullman police arrested Jones last Nov. 30 in a domestic dispute. No charges were filed and the case was dropped in December, according to the Whitman County prosecutor’s office.

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• I wasn’t able to get comment from Wulff on this, so I can’t answer the obvious questions, which are: Why was he dismissed as opposed to suspended? Were there other, earlier violations? Or is DUI so bad it has to be punished to this degree? I really don’t have those answers, but if I can get them, I’ll pass them along.

• UPDATE: There has been some discussion here about Jones’ earlier arrest. I investigated that and discovered the Whitman County prosecutor’s office didn’t press charges and the case was closed in late December. I have added a line to the story above.

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• That’s all for now. We’ll be back at some point this evening with a basketball notebook. Until then …

11 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

coreyb on February 09 at 3:09 p.m.
Seems like I remember him getting arrested not too long ago for a domestic dispute or something similar.
Upthewazzu on February 09 at 3:29 p.m.
He was arrested for 4th degree assault domestic violence back in November or December of ‘09.
kaddy on February 09 at 3:57 p.m.
I get the feeling that Wulff is fed up with this stuff, and I can’t blame him.
avboden on February 09 at 4:46 p.m.
YES DUI IS THAT BAD!!!! Anyone who thinks a DUI isn’t a VERY serious offense needs to rethink themselves. As a motorcycle rider, having known riders killed by people driving under the influence, the current DUI laws are way too relaxed.
TommyCoug on February 09 at 5:28 p.m.
Avgoden…have there ever been any motorcycle riders that “have” driven under the influence? Regardless of what you drive…a DUI is bad…and any of us that have consumed alcohol and driven were at risk for others and ourselves!

There is probably more…maybe not on Brandon Jones…that will have to delivered by Wulff or our speculation. As far as his football talents are concerned, I don’t think he will be missed!!

GO COUGS
ECoug01 on February 09 at 5:35 p.m.
Vince good luck getting answers to those questions from Wulff. As we have seen over the last few years you will get a “there were other incidents” comment from him.

Funny how HIcks and some of these other guys are simply suspended and / or serve a short punishment.

Not saying DUI is acceptable but lack of consistency irritates me.
SaveFerris on February 09 at 7:11 p.m.
EC, it does seem to lack consistency but I believe in Hicks case a lot of his “stuff” came before Wulff was head coach. Same deal with Roof and maybe some others.

Anyway, we don’t and probably will not know what happened with Jones. Wulff really can’t speak in great detail because of privacy issues. Players and their family can sue if anything other than general information is discussed. I remember Penders at UT getting in some hot water just discussing some somewhat minor things on a player who left for KU.
dhmeany on February 09 at 7:37 p.m.
EC — Why is Wulff always on the bad end of your posts, especially this one?

Each situation is uniquely different. If I recall, Kevin Norrell was booted off the team (with a chance to work his way back) for some driving issues as well. Seems pretty consistent to me. Very early on in this, but there may be a system in place for Jones to come back as well, although I doubt it and I don’t really want him back.

Anyway, I know from years of personal experience handling these cases there are always details we never learn.

Quit spitting venom at the coach — I am tired of these athletes/players who just don’ get it! Especially someone like Jones who should know by now what will and won’t fly given the recent history of the program. These players need to be more accountable, and that will never happen if the staff doesn’t lay down law.

Good for Wulff - I don’t need an explanation. Player arrested for DUI? See ya. Good luck in court. Bring in the next guy who is hungier and has a little more respect for the program.

I am tired of this stuff.
DCR on February 10 at 9:13 a.m.
Unless there are other factors involved in the decision, I can’t understand why anyone is punished before they have been convicted. Shame on everyone here for assuming that an arrest means guilt - he’s only been charged at this point. Whatever happened to the presumption of innocence we so loudly proclaim is the foundational principle of our legal system?
pktwsu99 on February 10 at 1:48 p.m.
DCR, as someone who has been arrested for DUI while I was at WSU, there are A LOT of factors that go into it. First off, Jones had to been doing somethin idiotic to be pulled over. Second, they wouldn’t have charged him with DUI, if his breathalyzer was not over .08. What if he had hit a kid walking home that night? Since he wasn’t CHARGED with DUI, does that make it ok?

Wulff is trying to set an example that breaking the rules will not be tolerated. He is trying to clean up a mess that Doba left in his wake. I for one, will congratulate Wulff on setting the ground work for these kids, to be successful at the collegiate level. This will, hopefully, transpire into their adult lives.
gocougs05 on February 10 at 2:56 p.m.
pktwsu99, Jones didn’t HAVE to be doing “something idiotic” to get pulled over. Maybe he didn’t signal before turning, maybe he didn’t come to a complete stop at a stop sign, maybe he had a tail light out. You have no idea why he was stopped. Regardless of the reason for the stop, he had alcohol in his system, at least enough to be arrested. Whether he had two beers and jumped in his car or was totally wasted, it doesn’t matter, he made a stupid mistake and is paying the consequences. I like that Wulff handles things on a case by case basis, and I am tired of people blasting him too. The “general public” who calls themselves Cougs needs to realize that they will NEVER have “all the facts,” and should refrain from throwing a negative blanket over policies and saying the coaching staff isn’t being accountable. Players need to understand that poor choices lead to poor consequences, and it sounds like Wulff and his staff have a structured way of dealing with incidents, i.e. the Unity Council, etc. Losing a stater hurts, but that means other guys will have the opportunity to step up and prove their worth. I am looking forward to the season and hope that other players don’t have to learn the lesson that Jones learned. GO COUGS!