Rising sophomore tight end Joseph Fauria was suspended for the upcoming semester earlier this week by the office of Residential Living. Up until Friday, it was assumed that Fauria would sit out the season and then rejoin the Irish for the 2010 campaign. This afternoon, however, it was reported that Fauria will instead be transferring from Notre Dame and won’t be back with the Irish.
On Wednesday Charlie Weis announced that Fauria would not be with the team for the upcoming season, but that he hoped Fauria would be back in the spring. The oh so vague “personal reasons” explanation was given as the reason for Fauria’s departure. Since then a bunch of rumors have popped up on the various Irish forums and blogs. Out of respect to Fauria, I won’t post them here since he has yet to give any details into his departure.
Friday a number of reports with some unflattering quotes towards the University surfaced stating the Fauria intended to transfer instead of sitting out the season and rejoining the team in 2010.
Fauria told Irish Sports Daily that he felt mistreated by the Office of Residential Life.
” I’ve always been a fan of Notre Dame, but I was mistreated by the Office of Residence Life,” he said. “They mistreated me very much. Something happened at school and I don’t think the punishment fit the crime. They didn’t handle the situation how it should have been handled. I guess they were trying to make an example out of me and I was not the person to do it to.”
Whether or not the suspension handed down by Res Life was warranted or not, this is sure to be used against the Irish on the recruiting trail by opposing coaches.
The only silver lining, if there can be one in a situation like this, is that Fauria gave the Irish coaching staff a ringing endorsement on his way out.
From the same ISD report:
“I’m not leaving because of the coaching staff. I love all of the coaches. My tight ends coach Bernie Parmalee was amazing, my recruiting coordinator Brian Polian, I was really close to him, he was great,” said Fauria. “I loved being coached by Coach Weis. It was great, he knew what he was doing. I’m proud to say that I was coached by him and that I was able to play for him.
The loss of Fauria is a killer for the Irish offense in 2009. He was one of the biggest surprises this spring and had passed Mike Ragone as the #2 tight end on the Irish depth chart and had a very bright future ahead of him. Without Fauria in 2009, Notre Dame will have just two scholarship tight ends with playing experience.
Despite some stellar recruiting at the tight end position over the last four years. Notre Dame will once again have a depth problem at the position this season. Fauria joins Konrad Reuland and Will Yeatman as the third tight end to transfer from Notre Dame in the last three years.
Just ran across this article, and wanted to say that I understand the frustration that Fauria went through. I’ve dealt with the ND Office of Residence Life first hand, and I could say the exact same thing as far as mistreatment goes. I too fealt disrespected and mistreated during the whole process, and I’ve talked to others that have experienced the exact same thing. It’s really too bad that individuals entrusted in overseeing the lives of college students at such a fine university cannot do so in a decent and respectable manor. These are young kids and they are going to make mistakes, but that is no reason to put their future at stake, let alone be disrespectful in the process. I personally am not suprised that he decided to leave, after seeing the types of hurdles the ORLH puts up after something like this happens, and the very little effort that they put in to facilitating the readmission process. It is an area of the university that could definitly be re-evaluated and improved. That being said and the ORHL aside, Notre Dame is still THE best school ever and I’m really looking forward to seeing what Kelly puts together for 2010. Go Irish!
@insidefballer,
Tell us how the team looks this compared to last. I’d like to know if the strength conditioning and agility program looks than the mediocre recent past. I’d like to knwo if there is hope for the offensive and defensive lines. Is it business as usual with empty promises or will this team look more like a Lou Holtz team of the late 80’s early 90’s?
As for young Mr. Fauria it’s not our business. But I’d like to know what the grounds for punishment were. ND has had mostly good disciplined kids. But I’ve seen where it’s harder with the younger generation to get the respect and accountability required. They better act like the Lads did under Rock because our society will need that type of leadership after they graduate. And in the coming economy we who hire won’t have to take anyone not up to behavioral standards.
1) fauria was defanitely mistreated, hes a teammate of mine and the reason he was booted was RIDICULOUS. unbelievable. not booted but suspended .. but it was not warranted
2) ragone is not ever goign to be 100% again i dont think, and joe had earned his spot as #2. but its all good, he’ll be good wherever he goes. huge loss for ND.
the kid could play, he gave us depth, and was the best blocking TE we had. This sucks.
How is this a killer losing him? What has he proved on the field in a real game? The reason why he got to #2 on the depth chart is because Ragone is not 100 percent yet!
Go Irish!!!
Sexually harassing girls @ the dorm.