Jones to N. Illinois

[GoshenGipper]

ESPN radio sez he transferred to GEORGIA TECH!

During Gameday on ESPN TV they reported NIU, and he is already registered for classes at NIU, and is listed in thier online student directory and apparently has been for a few days.

 

[NDgettysburg]

During Gameday on ESPN TV they reported NIU, and he is already registered for classes at NIU, and is listed in thier online student directory and apparently has been for a few days.

yeah, I think their radio guys misspoke....checked the website, it still says NIU. Shocked the hell out of me when the guy said he xferred to GT!

 

[GoshenGipper]

This is my feeling about the whole thing. I orginally put it in the members only area, but I figured I'd go ahead and repost it here as well given the subject at hand.

I don't mind that he wanted to transfer, or even if he wanted to transfer right away so that he would still be eligible to play next year, but the way in which he seemed to have done it was commpletely classless, selfish, and showed showed a lot of immaturity.

Oh well, if ND can overcome any distractions that was caused by this behaviour it might not be that bad in the end. It opens up another scholarship for next year, and it rids the team of a selfish attitude, which is something that can really spread and infect a team if it is left unchecked.

 

[fitz_bu47]

He's a 19 year old kid, but thats old enough to not be a turd. If you want to give up and not compete, and just leave than fine, leave. But not showing up and not talking to the coach is cowardly and pathetic. I hope he enjoys his time at N. Illinois getting killed, I guess its more important to worry about yourself these days than being part of a potentially great team in the future. He could of probably moved to another position and played on a N.C. team......sweet decision. I played college football, albeit not at the D1 level, but you get down a lot, one minute they love you the next you don't travel, but you just worry about what you can control and work to get back to where you want to be. If he wants to give up and leave thats fine w/ an attitude like that we don't need him anyway.

 

[Junkhead]

ESPN radio sez he transferred to GEORGIA TECH!

Would Georgia Tech want him? They saw him play!
Just messin around....

 

[ScottMcR]

He seems immature,I can't believe this is the person who won the starting QB job originally,he must have some talent and character to have done that,or did our coaches totally misjudge him? I don't think it will hurt our program one bit, he prob just figured he couldn't beat out Clausen and had his mind set on being a QB,we don't need quitters anyway.

 

[Pete]

Here is the real question. If he really did this behind everyone's backs, then he isn't officially released from his scholarship. If that is true, then he will not be allowed to play for two years. So, if he really handled it in the manor that the papers and internet reports have made it seem, then does CW release him, or not?

 

[SillyIrish]

Here is the real question. If he really did this behind everyone's backs, then he isn't officially released from his scholarship. If that is true, then he will not be allowed to play for two years. So, if he really handled it in the manor that the papers and internet reports have made it seem, then does CW release him, or not?

Cut ties immediately and don't look back. CW and the team don't need to deal with this guy for one more day.

 

[Fbolt]

If Jones seems immature-its because he is. The kid is what, 19/20 years old? He did what many his age and with his ambitions would have done-cut and run in an irresponsible way because he's looking out for himself. Others would leave in a more responsible manner such as Frazier. Clearly Jones is not Frazier.

Slamming him the way some are on this board makes me wonder how many 19 year olds post here....

I agree with many. Cut ties and don't look back. I would, however, wish him luck and hope that he would learn from his past decisions (I know I have).

-out-

 

[goldenlid]

Just saw on the pregame CW said he put in plays for DD for the game,but now it looks like it will not happen.

 

[NDgettysburg]

"he reminds me of Tony Rice" :roll:

 

[Irish Legend]

It was a waste of time even recruiting him! I said that from the get go.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

"he reminds me of Tony Rice" :roll:

Except for the lack of class.

They said during the game that DD did not even tell his roommate. When they went to look for him, his stuff was all gone.

 

[johnnd05]

They said during the game that DD did not even tell his roommate. When they went to look for him, his stuff was all gone.

Wow. I had it on mute so I didn't hear that. Wow wow wow.

Jason?

 

[Master Guns]

Here is the real question. If he really did this behind everyone's backs, then he isn't officially released from his scholarship. If that is true, then he will not be allowed to play for two years. So, if he really handled it in the manor that the papers and internet reports have made it seem, then does CW release him, or not?

Your exactly right, NCAA has very strict rules on this happening. NIU was probably tampering with him as well. Kentucky had the same issue with a point guard Joe Crawford who tried to do a back door transfer to Michigan State. Because the kid and his parents back door'd UK, Tubby Smith would not release him from his scholarship meaning he would have missed a total of two years if he just up and quit. The kid ended up staying and became a starter the next year. CW should tell him to F'off and sit out since he basically told CW to F'off by taking the cowards way out.

Now if the O line did the same, GOODBYE!........just kidding!

 

[Master Guns]

Johnnd05 said it best at 19 your old enough to fight for our country. Let me tell you that's the truth, I have served with some very courageous young men and women in some of the most adverse situations. These soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines use words like integrity, service before self, excellence, duty, honor and country to get them through each day. So to say this kid is only 19 and we should cut him some slack because he is under pressure is bogus. You want to talk about pressure, every time I convoyed through the streets of Bagdad my life was in the hands of 19 year old men and women.

WHAT THIS KID DID IS NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY REVELANCE NEXT WEEK TO ANY OF US. BUT HIS LACK OF INTEGRITY WILL STAY WITH HIM HIS ENTIRE LIFE.

SEMPER FI!!! Stay safe warrior.

 

[Jason Pham]

Wow. I had it on mute so I didn't hear that. Wow wow wow.

Jason?

I'm pretty sure they said he didn't even tell his best friend, George West. His roommate helped him pack his stuff from the apartment before he left.

EDIT: I'm unsure if he had housing on campus or not. Maybe it was his roommate there but he's not ever there anyways so it shouldn't be much of a change for him.

 

[johnnd05]

I'm pretty sure they said he didn't even tell his best friend, George West. His roommate helped him pack his stuff from the apartment before he left.

EDIT: I'm unsure if he had housing on campus or not. Maybe it was his roommate there but he's not ever there anyways so it shouldn't be much of a change for him.

IDK my BFF, huh?

 

[Jason Pham]

IDK my BFF, huh?

Sorry, posting after a long night at the lakehouse after a couple brewskies.

What I meant to say was that during the ESPN commentary, I'm almost positive that they said they went and asked his best friend George West and even he said he didn't know. Clearly, his roommate knew he was leaving otherwise I wouldn't have known he was leaving. One theory could be that if Jones had on-campus housing, his roommate there might have not been in the know, but his roommate there never really was in the know to begin with considering Jones didn't exactly spend anytime on-campus.

 

[Irish93]

Unless things have changed, all freshman are required to be in campus housing. If he was off-campus, it was an additional place.

Any way that CW refuses to release him from his schollie?

 

[johnnd05]

Sorry, posting after a long night at the lakehouse after a couple brewskies.

What I meant to say was that during the ESPN commentary, I'm almost positive that they said they went and asked his best friend George West and even he said he didn't know. Clearly, his roommate knew he was leaving otherwise I wouldn't have known he was leaving. One theory could be that if Jones had on-campus housing, his roommate there might have not been in the know, but his roommate there never really was in the know to begin with considering Jones didn't exactly spend anytime on-campus.

Right - got it - I figured that's what you meant, but thanks for the clarification. Doesn't seem like a guy whose departure we should regret much, in any case.

 

[Jason Pham]

Unless things have changed, all freshman are required to be in campus housing. If he was off-campus, it was an additional place.

Any way that CW refuses to release him from his schollie?

He's a sophomore, and I just talked to my buddy and he said Jones stayed with him most the time albeit having a room on campus.

 

[loomis41973]

Cowardly, pathetic and classless are the only words to describe the way he left. I hope he rides the pine at NIU too. On the bright side that opens up a scollie for someone who hopefully understands the "team" concept.

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

I wish the kid luck.

 

[johnnd05]

From the SB Trib:

"I really am going to miss Notre Dame," said Jones, a sophomore quarterback who enrolled at Northern Illinois Wednesday, practiced with the Irish Thursday, went AWOL on Friday and begins classes at his new school today.

"I'm not sorry I went to Notre Dame in the first place," Jones told The Tribune via cell phone Sunday. "I learned a lot of lessons about life there. It made me a better person in a lot of ways. But the way I left was pretty immature. I've heard people say that, and they're right. I should have handled it better.

"Here's the way I look at it, the team was in a slump. Michigan was a 'must' game. I'm not sure me trying to take coach Weis' attention off the game last week was the right thing to do. I also don't think going to Michigan and going through the motions and pretending I was happy was the right thing to do either.

"I feel like my integrity has been challenged. I admit I made an immature decision, but I think it's going to turn out to be a good decision. It probably won't be the last immature decision I make. I'm human. But what we're talking about here is a dream -- my dream. I'm a man. I made my bed, and I'm willing to lay in it, whatever that might bring."

Weis, who canceled his Sunday press conference to put the Irish (0-3) through a full-pads practice, said Saturday he wanted to talk to Jones first before commenting on the situation. The two had not yet connected, according to both Jones and Weis, as of Sunday evening.

Jones attended Northern Illinois' 21-19 loss to East Michigan Saturday in DeKalb, Ill., instead of ND's 38-0 loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. He says he still has not had contact with the Northern Illinois coaching staff and has no idea when he'll begin practicing his new team.

"If they even know I'm here, it's because of rumors and nothing I told them," he said. "My plan is to practice with them this year and be eligible to play next fall. I'd then have three years of eligibility. That's how I hope it works out."

Even in the painful hours that followed his first collegiate start Sept. 1 against Georgia Tech and his demotion that same afternoon, Jones was determined to make it work out in South Bend.

He was ND's leading rusher in the 33-3 loss to the Yellow Jackets with 28 yards on 12 carries, but only got to throw three passes, completing one. He also lost two fumbles.

But Weis' comments Tuesday of the following week, implying that freshman Jimmy Clausen was the No. 1 option all along and that Jones was simply keeping his seat warm until the nation's No. 1 recruit in the 2007 class was healthy, stung Jones.

"I got my opportunity in the Georgia Tech game," Jones said. "I realize I didn't play well and if me not being No. 1 anymore was the result of that, I was willing to live with it.

"I said after the game I wanted to come back stronger. Those are the words that came out of my mouth, and you can check it. But when I heard Jimmy was the No. 1 all the way through spring and that the only thing that was keeping him out of the lineup was his surgery, well that's not what I was led to believe going into the summer. I thought I was getting a chance because coach Weis believed in me. Then I didn't know what to believe anymore.

"I thought I'd be a good fit for this team, with my mobility and a young offensive line. But when I found that out that Jimmy was going to be the quarterback no matter what, I thought to myself, 'Do I wait for my opportunity or do I go out and make my opportunity?' "

...

"I want Notre Dame to do well, and I realize what I'm walking away from," Jones said. "Education is what you make of it wherever you go. With the football part, you have to go where somebody's willing to give you an opportunity.

"There wasn't a lot of people giving me input and trying to influence me. This was a very difficult decision, but it was also an informed decision and a prayed decision. College coaching is a business, but so is playing. So is playing."

That bolded phrase comes as a bit of a shock ... I wonder how true it is.

 

[johnnd05]

A bit more on all of this ...

A bit more on all of this ...

Per the Sun-Times, DJ may have been enrolled at NIU as early as Sept. 4:

A source close to the NIU program said he was told that Jones enrolled at the school on Sept. 4 -- the same day Clausen was named the Irish starter. A Demetrius Armond Jones of Chicago is listed in NIU's online student directory.

Meanwhile, it looks like Weis got his guys to get their talking points in order. Here's what Zbikowski had to say:

“Obviously it’s disappointing that somebody that’s on your team (has left),” Irish senior and captain Tom Zbikowski said. “But if you’re not going to be behind us 100 percent, it’s best that you not be on this team.”

And Sharpley and Vernaglia:

“He made his decision and ran with it and it’s on him,” Sharpley said.

Said linebacker Anthony Vernaglia: ”Obviously, it’s disappointing. But if you’re not going to be behind us 100 percent, we don’t want you on the team.”

Sounds about right. Anybody else fall into that category?

 

[JeremyND07]

This may be the reason he transferred so quickly...may learned of this rule at the last minute. This is from Fan Nation espn: Still think it was the wrong way to leave but I wish him luck.

If Jones enrolled by Wednesday -- and one source close to NIU said that was the case -- that means he made the cut-off date for counting this semester toward the year he must sit out. NCAA rules say a transfer player must be enrolled by the 12th day of classes for the clock to start on the year the player must miss when transferring from one D-IA (bowl subdivision) school to another. Northern Illinois started classes on Aug. 27, making Wednesday that critical day.

 

[johnnd05]

This may be the reason he transferred so quickly...may learned of this rule at the last minute. This is from Fan Nation espn: Still think it was the wrong way to leave but I wish him luck.

If Jones enrolled by Wednesday -- and one source close to NIU said that was the case -- that means he made the cut-off date for counting this semester toward the year he must sit out. NCAA rules say a transfer player must be enrolled by the 12th day of classes for the clock to start on the year the player must miss when transferring from one D-IA (bowl subdivision) school to another. Northern Illinois started classes on Aug. 27, making Wednesday that critical day.

Sure, but the article above says he was enrolled on September FOURTH. Even if he enrolled on Wednesday, though, that gave him plenty of time to, say, inform the coaching staff, or maybe not sign up for the team bus ...

 

[GoIrish41]

Jones obviously put himself before the team. He was all about ND as long as he thought he was going to start at QB. But, the day Claussen was named the starter, he took the punk way out. Very disappointing and classless.

 

[Sureal]

Oh well. Buh-bye.

I would say I wish him the best but since he left like that. Whatever. Bye.