Missouri has confirmed that starting tailback and team captain Derrick Washington has been suspended indefinitely.
Team spokesman Chad Moller - just prior to MU's last public practice of the pre-season - said Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel would address the situation after practice.
Pinkel did, although in keeping with what his established practice, Pinkel said he would not expand his comments beyond confirming that Washington had been suspended for ?disciplinary reasons."
"He's indefinitely suspended for disciplinary reasons," Pinkel said. "As I've done for ten years, I don't ever talk about those issues.
"I tell my players when something happens, I don't do that."
The Star made an inquiry at the office of Boone County Prosecutor Daniel K. Knight asking if that office was involved in any action or investigation involving Washington. The call was not returned and subsequent calls were answered by a message saying that the office was closed for the day.
Washington was not at Missouri?s final football practice that was open to the media on Thursday afternoon.
Washington?s last two posts on his Twitter account revealed nothing specific.
About noon on Thursday, he posted: "Class, class, class."
And Wednesday night, Washington posted: "God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect."
Washington has been exuberant throughout August practices, having discovered a new gear in his running game after dropping ten pounds and his percentage of body fat.
A standout at Raymore-Peculiar High School in suburban Kansas City, Washington played in 12 games as a true freshman, gaining 184 yards on 36 carries while catching 10 passes for 70 yards.
As a sophomore he rushed 177 times for 1,078 yards and 17 touchdowns and caught 29 passes for 277 yards and two touchdowns.
Injured much of last season, Washington gained only 865 yards on 190 carries while catching 26 passes for 156 yards. He still scored 10 touchdowns rushing and enters his senior year at MU with a career rushing average of 5.2 yards a carry.
Washington and junior receiver Jerrell Jackson had come up with what was fast becoming an unofficial rallying cry for a football team generally picked to finish second in the Big 12 North and possibly challenge Nebraska for the division title.
"Get Money!" - a salute to big plays that Washington stressed had nothing to do with really getting any money - was becming so well known that when Washington went to a Columbia bank to use an ATM, he said one of the tellers told him to "Get Money!"
There was no word on how long "indefinite" might be for the suspension.
But the suspension certainly put into question whether Washington would be available to play in the season opener on Sept. 4 against Illinois in St. Louis.
Elevated to the starting position would be sophomore Kendial Lawrence. De'Vion Moore, who had been running third team, has been slowed with a foot injury.
True freshman Henry Josey and Marcus Murphy had stood out enough that they were under consideration to not redshirt. Now, the prospect that one or both could play, seems even more likely.
An attorney who frequently represents MU athletes in legal matters on Thursday afternoon told The Star he could make no comment.
Team spokesman Chad Moller - just prior to MU's last public practice of the pre-season - said Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel would address the situation after practice.
Pinkel did, although in keeping with what his established practice, Pinkel said he would not expand his comments beyond confirming that Washington had been suspended for ?disciplinary reasons."
"He's indefinitely suspended for disciplinary reasons," Pinkel said. "As I've done for ten years, I don't ever talk about those issues.
"I tell my players when something happens, I don't do that."
The Star made an inquiry at the office of Boone County Prosecutor Daniel K. Knight asking if that office was involved in any action or investigation involving Washington. The call was not returned and subsequent calls were answered by a message saying that the office was closed for the day.
Washington was not at Missouri?s final football practice that was open to the media on Thursday afternoon.
Washington?s last two posts on his Twitter account revealed nothing specific.
About noon on Thursday, he posted: "Class, class, class."
And Wednesday night, Washington posted: "God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect."
Washington has been exuberant throughout August practices, having discovered a new gear in his running game after dropping ten pounds and his percentage of body fat.
A standout at Raymore-Peculiar High School in suburban Kansas City, Washington played in 12 games as a true freshman, gaining 184 yards on 36 carries while catching 10 passes for 70 yards.
As a sophomore he rushed 177 times for 1,078 yards and 17 touchdowns and caught 29 passes for 277 yards and two touchdowns.
Injured much of last season, Washington gained only 865 yards on 190 carries while catching 26 passes for 156 yards. He still scored 10 touchdowns rushing and enters his senior year at MU with a career rushing average of 5.2 yards a carry.
Washington and junior receiver Jerrell Jackson had come up with what was fast becoming an unofficial rallying cry for a football team generally picked to finish second in the Big 12 North and possibly challenge Nebraska for the division title.
"Get Money!" - a salute to big plays that Washington stressed had nothing to do with really getting any money - was becming so well known that when Washington went to a Columbia bank to use an ATM, he said one of the tellers told him to "Get Money!"
There was no word on how long "indefinite" might be for the suspension.
But the suspension certainly put into question whether Washington would be available to play in the season opener on Sept. 4 against Illinois in St. Louis.
Elevated to the starting position would be sophomore Kendial Lawrence. De'Vion Moore, who had been running third team, has been slowed with a foot injury.
True freshman Henry Josey and Marcus Murphy had stood out enough that they were under consideration to not redshirt. Now, the prospect that one or both could play, seems even more likely.
An attorney who frequently represents MU athletes in legal matters on Thursday afternoon told The Star he could make no comment.
