It seems as if clubs and WVU football players just don’t mix (right Pac Man?). Morgantown police are investigating the allegation that two WVU students were blitzed and beat down by a group of football players outside of Club Z in Morgantown. Among the assailants was Deion Sanders’ mentee and future all everything Noel Devine.

Once outside, Sangarie said someone punched him in the back of the head. Sangarie said he fell to the ground and was kicked and punched by several of the football players, including Devine and Sanders.

From reading the article it seems like nothing was done to provoke the attack. However, I am speculating the players were taunted for their horrific loss to Pittsburgh. I hope more details will emerge, but I bet the university will sweep this us quickly and quietly. The most punishment, if any, I’de expect the players to receive is to sit out against Villanova.

The University of Arkansas will file a waiver on behalf of recent transfer Ryan Mallet.  They are hoping the NCAA will allow Mallet to play immediately and not sit out the mandatory academic year. Mallet had committed to play football for the University of Michigan in 2007 and when called upon to step in for an injured Chad Henne he played well.  However, his Michigan career was over the day Rich Rodriguez was hired as Michigan’s next coach.  Mallet was a 5 star recruit and now the most he could’ve hoped for is being a stop gap until Rodriguez recruited a spread quarterback.

The thing that aggravates me the most about Mallet’s (and similar) cases is how the NCAA fails to realize the athlete is more tied to the coach than the university.  When a recruit signs his letter of intent he commits to play for a university and the university commits a scholarship to him. This needs to be changed.  A recruit should be allowed to to leave his commitment without penalty if the broker leaves.  After all it is the coach that sells the recruit on the university and ultimately helps to determine his future via scheme and playing time.

Last February Mallet signed his letter of intent with Michigan because Lloyd Carr told him he would be the future after Chad Henne.  Rich Rodriguez didn’t have to honor anything guaranteed / said / promised by Carr to any player and rightfully so.  Is it fair the Mallet either stayed at Michigan to waste his talent or sit out of football 18months?  No it is not.  Big time football recruits go to college because they have to in order to make it to the NFL.  Their college education may not be academic, but they should be able to leave for the best opportunity like any other student.