WSU athletic director Bill Moos may have spoken prematurely at the Associated Press Sports Editors meeting earlier this month when he praised the effectiveness of head coach Mike Leach’s disciplinary policy.
“Behavioral problems are the lowest ever,” he said May 6 at a speech in the basement of the Yakima Herald-Republic. Three football players have been arrested since.
The most recent episode came when Pullman police arrested projected starting running back Teondray Caldwell May 7 on suspicion of second-degree assault and first-degree burglary.
As first reported by Pullman radio station KQQQ 1150-AM, Caldwell on April 28 allegedly punched a man sitting outside his residence at 615 NE Campus Street after he and a group of football players were not allowed into a party.
Caldwell and the players left before police were called and no arrests were made that night. However, the police arrested him more than a week later after following up on the incident.
Police Cmdr. Chris Tennant said his department is roughly a week away from wrapping up their investigation, at which time they will forward a recommendation to the prosecutor. No charges have been filed yet.
“I don’t think there was any theft involved in this case,” he said on Wednesday. “Basically it was just your typical party. They showed up. They were denied entry. It ended up in an argument. There was a fistfight and someone got hurt.”
First-degree burglary is a Class A felony in the state of Washington. By definition, it is the act of unlawfully entering a residence with the intent to commit a crime while wielding a deadly weapon — or entering the residence and committing an assault. Caldwell’s alleged crime falls into the latter category.
Leach typically dismisses a player immediately — a one-strike policy — for stealing, using illegal drugs or hitting a woman. Caldwell didn’t violate those no-tolerance rules so he likely won’t miss much football, assuming he doesn’t face any jail time.
Caldwell rushed 56 times for 269 yards in 2012 while appearing in 10 games as a true freshman.
Logan Mayes, Toni Pole Arrested
Pullman police arrested Mayes earlier this month after the linebacker backed his vehicle into a parked car and busted the tail light before driving off without telling the owner, according to a report from The Spokesman-Review’s Christian Caple.
Per the story, the total damage was under $750 so the police didn’t have to file a formal collision report.
The son of WSU all-time leading rusher Reuben Mayes, Logan Mayes carved out his own piece of Apple Cup history last season when he rushed UW quarterback Keith Price on the first play of overtime, forcing an ill-advised throw that was picked off by defensive tackle Pole, who returned it 75 yards nearly for a touchdown.
Mayes missed spring practice with a leg injury but will be ready when fall camp begins in August.
Pole, meanwhile, committed a gaffe of his own recently when he allegedly made false statements May 11, providing a phony name and birthday when police arrived to check on a party. He was cited, arrested, then released, per The Spokesman-Review.
The recent lapses in cognitive reasoning are minor compared to what Moos described in Yakima as appalling problems within the program when he came to WSU.
“A year ago I had a list of 108 police and university citations and other problems ranging from DUIs and (minor in possession) fights, sexual assaults and academic fraud,” Moos said at the meeting. “Twelve months later we’ve had nine.”
Make that 12.
WSU sports information director Bill Stevens said each arrest is a team matter and will be handled internally.
Mansell Simmons Update
Pullman Police detectives recommended the former Cougar tight end be charged with disorderly conduct on Wednesday. Simmons was forced to leave the program after he suffered a concussion in a March altercation with University of Idaho football player Roman Runner. Additionally, they recommended Runner be charged with second-degree assault after he allegedly pulled a knife during a post-party brawl on the 300 block of Ash St. on the WSU campus.
Per the report, Simmons charged at Runner and was punched in the face after the latter pulled a knife, getting knocked unconscious. Simmons was treated at Pullman Regional Hospital and later at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane for facial fractures and a concussion.
The incident ended Simmons’ career. Leach said he plans to grant him a medical redshirt for the 2013 season.
Click here to read the entire report.
Offensive Lineman Leaving
A source close to the program confirmed Tuesday that WSU offensive lineman Jake Rodgers will transfer to Eastern Washington for the 2013 season.
Rodgers was slated for playing time at guard or tackle in 2013 after playing every position on the offensive line except center last season. He underwent offseason shoulder surgery and missed spring practices.
A graduate of Spokane’s Shadle Park High School, the redshirt junior would have provided much-needed depth on what has been an anemic offensive line the past four seasons.
His haircut that paid tribute to Joe Dirt will be missed as much as anything.
