Notre Dame Now Will Give Jones a Release from Scholarship

Tools

Notre Dame quarterback Demetrius Jones, left, pitches the ball to running back James Aldridge during the second quarter of a football game against Georgia Tech in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Sept. 1, 2007. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Sep 21, 2007 at 1:44 PM EST

Story Updated: Sep 21, 2007 at 1:44 PM EST

(AP) Notre Dame might release Demetrius Jones from his scholarship, after all, as long as the sophomore quarterback transfers to a school that is not on the Irish football schedule.

Jones, who started the season opener, quit the team last week and told reporters he had enrolled at Northern Illinois.

On Wednesday, athletic director Kevin White said Jones wouldn't be released from his scholarship. In a statement Thursday night, however, White said the university has offered to help Jones find an acceptable school.

"We are helping Demetrius compile a list of prospective schools that are not on our immediate future football schedules. We will grant him a release to those schools, and we will assist him in settling at another institution as best we can," White said.

That list will not include Northern Illinois, however, said John Heisler, Notre Dame's senior associate athletic director. Jones still could play for the Huskies next season, but he would have to pay his own way this year.

Heisler would not disclose the schools under consideration.

"The list has not been finalized at this point," he said.

Jones, who fumbled twice in the season opener against Georgia Tech, surprised coaches when he did not show up for the trip to Michigan last Friday. Instead, he attended Northern Illinois' 21-19 loss to Eastern Michigan Saturday in DeKalb, Ill.

Jones is from Chicago.

"We have initiated our normal protocol by identifying a list of institutions to which he has an interest in transferring," White said. "While Demetrius did not consult us on his decision, the university and he are now working together in our customary fashion. Our hope is that this process assists him in finding an institution that will enable him to meet his goals both as a student and as an athlete."

More Good Stuff

WSBT Weather

Current Temp 57.7

More Weather

WSBT Weather

More Weather

On Demand

iPhone
Get the WSBT News and Irish Sports Report apps for your iPhone! Read more »
On DVD
Order a DVD of a WSBT news story! Read more »
Twitter
Follow us on Twitter! Read more »
Facebook
Connect with us on Facebook! Read more »
WSBT E-News
Daily StormTracker e-mails right to your Inbox! Read more »
Video On Demand
Miss a story on WSBT News? Watch it here! Read more »
CBS Shows
Watch CBS shows and news online, free! Read more »
WSBT Alert
Breaking News & Weather right to your cell phone! Read more »
Mobile
WSBT News on the go for your cell phone or PDA. Read more »
RSS Feeds
Get news and updates as soon as they're published. Read more »

Stock Quotes

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.