Mixon leaves Eastern football program

Backup free safety Terry Mixon, who could face felony assault charges stemming from his alleged involvement in a fight on Nov. 18, has quit the school and is no longer a part of Eastern Washington University’s football program, according to Beau Baldwin, the Eagles’ head coach.

Baldwin, who was hired to replace Paul Wulff – now the Washington State head coach – earlier this month, said he talked with Mixon about his future at EWU during a recent one-on-one meeting.

“It was kind of a mutual talk, as far as that goes,” Baldwin said. “It was one of those deals where both sides agreed it was probably in his best interest to move on.”

Mixon, who transferred from Washington State just prior to the start of the 2007 season, could not be reached for comment, but Baldwin said the two had discussed the possibility of Mixon returning to his home in Compton, Calif., and, perhaps, pursuing a career in the National Football League.

Mixon, a physical 6-foot-1, 225-pounder, originally signed with WSU after earning All-America honors as a sophomore at Grossmont (Calif.) Community College in 2006. Injuries hindered his progress with the Cougars, however, and he opted to transfer to EWU, where he could play immediately because of the school’s academic quarter system.

He arrived in Cheney last fall overweight and out of shape and was hampered all season by a hamstring problem that severely limited his playing time. He appeared in eight games for the Eagles, who advanced to the second round of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs before losing to eventual national champion Appalachian State, and was involved in 26 tackles.

Mixon did not travel with the team to Appalachian State on Dec. 1 because of what Wulff called a violation of “unspecified” team rules. He did play, however, in the Eagles’ 44-15 playoff win over McNeese State on Nov. 24, which would have been six days after his alleged involvement in an altercation at a Cheney residence that left four people injured and at least one knocked unconscious.

Cheney police are still investigating the early-morning fight, which occurred following Eastern’s 38-16 win over Weber State on Nov. 17 at Woodward Field. That victory earned the Eagles an at-large berth in the FCS playoffs.

Baldwin said he did not know much about Mixon’s status with the team when he first took over from Wulff on Jan. 4.

“I just know that for the last game he wasn’t allowed to travel because of some sort of team suspension,” said Baldwin, who added he has since been fully briefed on Mixon’s legal problems.