Pittsburgh head coach Walt Harris dismissed linebackers Joe Dipre and Monroe Weekley from the team recently.
Both were redshirt freshmen that were expected to contribute.
Syracuse
. . .The news is not so good for safety Maurice McClain, who broke his tibia and fibula in the spring and
will be a member of the team this season as a student assistant, but his career as a football player is likely over.
Virginia Tech suffered a major setback when junior defensive back Eric Green was lost for the season with a knee injury
last week. The 6-0 corner was slated to start opposite Ronyell Whitaker this season after playing in 23
of the last 24 games for the Hokies.
West Virginia stumbled to a 3-8 season under first year head coach Rich Rodriguez, which was blamed in part on the
offensive personnel not fitting the system. Rodriguez then landed two highly touted receivers from the state of Texas
in Broderic Jones and J.T. Perry. Unfortunately, neither receiver qualified academically which leaves the Mountaineers very thin at receiver.
Ryan Claridge expected to miss 12 weeks
By Steve Guiremand
<steveg@lasvegassun.com>
LAS VEGAS SUN
CORONADO ISLAND, Calif. --- Linebacker Ryan Claridge was supposed to be joining buddy Jason Thomas in representing UNLV at today's Mountain West Conference Media Day festivities at the Coronado Island Marriott Hotel near San Diego.
But senior tailback Joe Haro took Claridge's place in the spotlight. Now the question is who will take Claridge's place on the field?
Rebel head coach John Robinson confirmed that Claridge, a preseason first team all-Mountain West Conference pick who finished second in the nation in forced fumbles a year ago with six, will likely miss the first month of the season with an abdominal muscle strain.
"I think the bad news is he'll be out about 12 weeks," Robinson said. "The good news is he could be back in about six or seven weeks. We might get him back after three games. Or he might redshirt. It could be that bad."
Robinson compared the injury to one that Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal suffered a few years ago that caused him to miss several months of the regular season.
"We sent him to a specialist in Vancouver (physical therapist Alex McKechnie) who also treated O'Neal," Robinsaon said. "He put Ryan on a rehab program. How long he stays out depends on how quickly he rehabs. The guy said it could be anywhere from eight to 12 weeks. That was about 10 days ago.
"My guess is Ryan won't play against Wisconsin. We'll probably have a better idea of just how long he'll be out in mid-August."
Using a 12-week timetable, Claridge wouldn't be ready to play until the annual Fremont Cannon battle against Nevada-Reno Oct. 5 at Sam Boyd Stadium.
<b>A second team all-MWC pick as a sophomore after finishing second on the team with 71 tackles, Claridge, sophomore middle linebacker Adam Seward and senior outside linebacker Tyrone Tucker, a transfer from Iowa State, were expected to be the strength of a rebuilt Rebel defense that lost four players to the NFL last spring.</b>
Claridge was supposed to man the weakside linebacker position that Shanga Wilson has played the last two years. Tosh Burrus, who backed up that position last season, had to quit football last spring because of a neck injury. So Claridge was moved to outside linebacker to try to fill that void.
Now what?
"The plan all along was to move Derek Olsen there," Robinson said of the 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior strong safety and special teams star from Indian Springs High School. "It's a speed linebacker position and he has had some success there. Billy Cofer has improved a lot and is the kind of maniac type of player you want in that position. It's a position that's unblocked where you get a chance to do something."
Still, if Claridge can't play this season, it will be a huge loss to UNLV's defense.
"We seem to keep getting hit in the same spot," Robinson said. "Hopefully, Ryan's rehab will go well and he will come back and play for us this season."
Ohio State's Joe suspended
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State fullback Branden Joe, charged with drunken driving,
has been suspended for three weeks of preseason camp and the Buckeyes' opening game.
Joe, a 20-year-old sophomore, was arrested July 26 after police found him asleep in a car
about 3:45 a.m. on a highway ramp near campus. On Wednesday, Joe's attorney pleaded innocent
to the charge on the player's behalf.
Joe, who reported for camp with upperclassmen on Thursday, will miss the season opener against Texas Tech on Aug. 24
Arizona State's Masaniai Draws Two-Game Suspension
July 31, 2002
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Arizona State senior defensive tackle Danny Masaniai has been suspended for the first
two games of the season.
The suspension comes following his guilty plea Monday to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct with a weapon.
Masaniai was accused of firing several shots into the air after a May 10 incident at a Tempe bar.
Masaniai's plea agreement means he immediately begins 18 months of probation and he will serve a month
of jail time that is deferred to begin Dec. 15. He also was fined $1,000.
Arizona State coach Dirk Koetter informed Masaniai of the suspension after the court hearing.
Masaniai will be allowed to practice with the Sun Devils when they begin preseason training Tuesday at
Camp Tontozona but will sit out the Aug. 24 season-opener at Nebraska and the Aug. 31 home opener
against Eastern Washington.
Both were redshirt freshmen that were expected to contribute.
Syracuse
. . .The news is not so good for safety Maurice McClain, who broke his tibia and fibula in the spring and
will be a member of the team this season as a student assistant, but his career as a football player is likely over.
Virginia Tech suffered a major setback when junior defensive back Eric Green was lost for the season with a knee injury
last week. The 6-0 corner was slated to start opposite Ronyell Whitaker this season after playing in 23
of the last 24 games for the Hokies.
West Virginia stumbled to a 3-8 season under first year head coach Rich Rodriguez, which was blamed in part on the
offensive personnel not fitting the system. Rodriguez then landed two highly touted receivers from the state of Texas
in Broderic Jones and J.T. Perry. Unfortunately, neither receiver qualified academically which leaves the Mountaineers very thin at receiver.
Ryan Claridge expected to miss 12 weeks
By Steve Guiremand
<steveg@lasvegassun.com>
LAS VEGAS SUN
CORONADO ISLAND, Calif. --- Linebacker Ryan Claridge was supposed to be joining buddy Jason Thomas in representing UNLV at today's Mountain West Conference Media Day festivities at the Coronado Island Marriott Hotel near San Diego.
But senior tailback Joe Haro took Claridge's place in the spotlight. Now the question is who will take Claridge's place on the field?
Rebel head coach John Robinson confirmed that Claridge, a preseason first team all-Mountain West Conference pick who finished second in the nation in forced fumbles a year ago with six, will likely miss the first month of the season with an abdominal muscle strain.
"I think the bad news is he'll be out about 12 weeks," Robinson said. "The good news is he could be back in about six or seven weeks. We might get him back after three games. Or he might redshirt. It could be that bad."
Robinson compared the injury to one that Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal suffered a few years ago that caused him to miss several months of the regular season.
"We sent him to a specialist in Vancouver (physical therapist Alex McKechnie) who also treated O'Neal," Robinsaon said. "He put Ryan on a rehab program. How long he stays out depends on how quickly he rehabs. The guy said it could be anywhere from eight to 12 weeks. That was about 10 days ago.
"My guess is Ryan won't play against Wisconsin. We'll probably have a better idea of just how long he'll be out in mid-August."
Using a 12-week timetable, Claridge wouldn't be ready to play until the annual Fremont Cannon battle against Nevada-Reno Oct. 5 at Sam Boyd Stadium.
<b>A second team all-MWC pick as a sophomore after finishing second on the team with 71 tackles, Claridge, sophomore middle linebacker Adam Seward and senior outside linebacker Tyrone Tucker, a transfer from Iowa State, were expected to be the strength of a rebuilt Rebel defense that lost four players to the NFL last spring.</b>
Claridge was supposed to man the weakside linebacker position that Shanga Wilson has played the last two years. Tosh Burrus, who backed up that position last season, had to quit football last spring because of a neck injury. So Claridge was moved to outside linebacker to try to fill that void.
Now what?
"The plan all along was to move Derek Olsen there," Robinson said of the 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior strong safety and special teams star from Indian Springs High School. "It's a speed linebacker position and he has had some success there. Billy Cofer has improved a lot and is the kind of maniac type of player you want in that position. It's a position that's unblocked where you get a chance to do something."
Still, if Claridge can't play this season, it will be a huge loss to UNLV's defense.
"We seem to keep getting hit in the same spot," Robinson said. "Hopefully, Ryan's rehab will go well and he will come back and play for us this season."
Ohio State's Joe suspended
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State fullback Branden Joe, charged with drunken driving,
has been suspended for three weeks of preseason camp and the Buckeyes' opening game.
Joe, a 20-year-old sophomore, was arrested July 26 after police found him asleep in a car
about 3:45 a.m. on a highway ramp near campus. On Wednesday, Joe's attorney pleaded innocent
to the charge on the player's behalf.
Joe, who reported for camp with upperclassmen on Thursday, will miss the season opener against Texas Tech on Aug. 24
Arizona State's Masaniai Draws Two-Game Suspension
July 31, 2002
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Arizona State senior defensive tackle Danny Masaniai has been suspended for the first
two games of the season.
The suspension comes following his guilty plea Monday to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct with a weapon.
Masaniai was accused of firing several shots into the air after a May 10 incident at a Tempe bar.
Masaniai's plea agreement means he immediately begins 18 months of probation and he will serve a month
of jail time that is deferred to begin Dec. 15. He also was fined $1,000.
Arizona State coach Dirk Koetter informed Masaniai of the suspension after the court hearing.
Masaniai will be allowed to practice with the Sun Devils when they begin preseason training Tuesday at
Camp Tontozona but will sit out the Aug. 24 season-opener at Nebraska and the Aug. 31 home opener
against Eastern Washington.
