http://college-football.si.com/2014/04/11/dorial-green-beckham-missouri-tigers-dismissed/?eref=sihp
Missouri dismisses wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham from Tigers’ football program
GARY PINKEL,
MISSOURI TIGERS,
SEC
BY
ZAC ELLIS
Receiver Dorial-Green Beckham has been dismissed from Missouri’s football team. (Denny Medley/USA Today Sports)
Missouri has dismissed wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham from its football program, the school announced on Friday.
Green-Beckham, the former top-ranked overall prospect in the class of 2012, was suspended indefinitely earlier this week for a violation of team rules. The suspension was reportedly linked to an alleged burglary at a Columbia apartment complex.
A
Thursday report linked Green-Beckham with an altercation involving his girlfriend and two other women late Saturday night, but Columbia police said no arrests would be made in the case. Earlier on Friday, Green-Beckham
released a statement to the
St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I have been young and dumb,” the statement read. “I want to be better. During my suspension I’m entering counseling. With help, I know I can be stronger emotionally and spiritually.”
In
a statement, Tigers coach Gary Pinkel said he made his decision with the entire program in mind.
“This decision was made with the best interests of all involved in mind,” Pinkel said in a prepared statement. “Dorial’s priority going forward needs to be focusing on getting the help he needs. As we have all along, we will continue to do everything we can to assist Dorial and his family. We care deeply about Dorial and his well-being, but hopefully he can benefit from a fresh start.”
Missouri athletic director Mike Alden echoed Pinkel’s statement, saying the standards are higher for student-athletes at the university.
“We have a high standard of conduct for our student-athletes,” Alden said. “Though we provide the resources and mentoring to all of our student-athletes, we are also responsible to the community at large and to the ideals and values of the University of Missouri. We have determined that this was a necessary step for our football team, athletic department, the University and our community.”
Green-Beckham recorded 59 catches for 883 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. He racked up 6,353 receiving yards and 75 scores during his tenure at Hillcrest (Mo.) High. He was set to kick off his junior season this fall as the team’s leading returning receiver.
The Tigers were already without departed wideouts Marcus Lucas and L’Damian Washington, so Green-Beckham’s dismissal is yet another blow to the roster’s receiving corps. Keep an eye on returnees Bud Sasser and Jimmie Hunt, who will likely be expected to step up after finishing with 614 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2013.
