LaMichael James came to the rescue of Oregon after starting running back LeGarrette Blount punched Boise State's Byron Hout in Week 1 and thus left the Ducks without an established backfield threat to start the 2009 season. James more than fit the bill, rushing for 1,546 yards and 14 TDs in an outstanding redshirt freshman season.
LaMichael James Arrested For Domestic Violence; Oregon’s Troubled Offseason Continues
He has now been arrested for domestic violence, including the alarming charge of “strangulation,” placing his playing future at Oregon in jeopardy and potentially leaving the Ducks without a vital part of their potent spread offense. Oregon has made no official statement about James, whose case is the latest in a tumultuous offseason of legal troubles for Ducks football players, including QB Jeremiah Masoli’s alleged involvement in the theft of items from a fraternity house and kicker Rob Beard’s involvement in a street fight that left him hospitalized and facing assault charges.
LaMichael James Pleads Guilty To Misdemeanor
Oregon’s nightmarish offseason continued Friday morning when freshman running back LaMichael James pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge and was sentenced to 10 days in jail and two years of probation.
James, who set a Pac-10 freshman record with 1,546 rushing yards last season, faced five misdemeanor charges, including menacing, strangulation and assault, for a Feb. 15 incident in which a former girlfriend claimed James grabbed her neck and pushed her to the ground. All but the harassment charge were dropped.
Read Article >More Oregon Woes: Jamere Holland Dismissed From Team For Facebook Note, Kiko Alonso Suspended For Season
But even worse for the Ducks was the dismissal of wide receiver Jamere Holland, who took to Facebook in a profanity-laced tirade upon hearing false rumors that Kiko had been kicked off the team. According to the New York Daily News, Holland criticized the team after mistakenly believing that Kiko had been dismissed, before posting:
Head coach Chip Kelly refused to go into specifics about why Holland was no longer on the team, although he told reporters that they were “smart enough to figure it out.”
Read Article >Oregon Football Continues Its Strange Transformation Into Outlaw Program
Via the Oregonian, here’s what Chip Kelly had to say about Oregon’s recent turmoil, including LaMichael James’ arrest on domestic abuse charges, among other Oregon offenses:
And then... Just a few hours after that press conference, third-year linebacker Kiko Alonso was arrested for drunk driving. It’s yet another embarassing incident for Oregon, the program that’d previously been famous for cool uniforms and finishing second to USC. Now that this latest arrest has made a mockery of Coach Kelly’s comments and the criminal charade continues, the rest of us can only wonder. What the hell is going on in Eugene, Oregon?
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