A day after announcing they would not release Demetrius Jones from his scholarship, the University announced that it would not only release Jones, but is also helping him find a school that suits him academically and athletically that is also not on any future Notre Dame schedule.
“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.
White or Heisler did not say why they changed their minds about releasing Jones, but it’s very likely that it was to at least prove a point initially that they were not happy with the way the entire situation was handled. Many felt it was not a wise decision, but I felt they were just standing up for the University and setting a precedent to avoid future hasty departures.
The about face by the University comes after Charlie Weis and Jones spoke over the phone and should help with any problems recruiting in the Chicago Public League that some felt would occur.
After speaking with Weis, Jones also had plenty of good things to say about his former coach according to the Chicago Tribune:
“He made an impact on my life, how to be a family man, lots of things,” Jones said. “Everybody may not like him but he takes care of his business and he takes care of it every day. He doesn’t change for anybody. He doesn’t even let something like being 0-3 rattle his character or personality.
“When we talked [this week], we had a healthy conversation. He was talking to me like a father, not just a coach. I admitted to him that if I’d come to him before the Michigan game, he would’ve talked me out of [leaving].People didn’t acknowledge that coach Weis and I had a great relationship. We’ve been through some rough times and some good times but we’re linked to each other.
“I represent him. No matter what happens down the line, my career started at Notre Dame and that was because of coach Weis. I was a soldier in ‘Charlie’s army’ and I enjoyed every minute of it.”
When others suggested Jones should switch positions with Jimmy Clausen coming to Notre Dame, “the only one going to bat for me, saying ‘Demetrius is a quarterback,’ was coach Weis,” Jones recalled. “Coach Weis told me this would be the hardest decision I would make. I feel like I’m blessed to have a second chance to do something so important.”
So for now it looks like there is a happy ending to this situation and Jones will even be at the Michigan State game this weekend to cheer on his former teammates. To his credit, he may not have handled his initial departure properly, but everything Jones has done since then has been done properly and with class. He’s been nothing but complimentary of the University and Weis and Notre Dame fans should wish him well wherever he ends up.
Hey Ronnie,
Did you read the post at all? ND let Jones out of scholarship and then Jones went on to praise Weis for making him a better man and a better football player.
By the way, NIU has no scholarships for this year so if ND let Jones out of his scholarship to go to NIU, he’d have to pay his own way this year.
I love it! ND will not release D Jones because it will threaten the recruitment of others in the Public League, BOTTOM LINE. You are scared that your large, Super Bowl Winning Coach cannot handle recruiting against a MAC team??? Your arrogance will get you this time. I hope D Jones remains at NIU and encourages others to join the program. Kevin White, everyone at ND puts their jocks on just like every stuck up ND fan, student and player. This was the weakest move you could pull against a 19 yr old that wants to start, play with High School teammates and be close to home and have a shot at the NFL. And you want to help him in the decision??? Blow it out your pompous ass
frank,
1. we are very happy that double d saw the light and is exposing those con artists at the espn.com for the crooks that they are and have been for years.
2. that story posted at espn.com stating that double d was leaving because coach weis had lied to him was and remains the fraud that it has always been, along with the other stories about notre dame being racist.
3. it is a relief that double d and his family realized that whatever these con artists promised him was not going to be delivered and could not be covered up.
4. while double d is going through this process, we hope that he decides to return to notre dame since his departure was caused by lies from these same con artists posing as members of the media.
5. one of these jerks actually showed up at tyrone willingham’s press conference before the washington/ucla game and asked tyrone whether he took pleasure in notre dame’s 0-3 start.
6. tyrone, being the gentleman and the truthful man whom he has always been, departed from his usual be polite to everyone policy and replied, with visible anger, that he would never derive any pleasure from anything going wrong at notre dame.
7. as we know, we will continue to see the notre dame is racist and charlie weis lies to recruits and players fraudulent stories from the same jerks anyway until we get them fired and punish them economically.
8. even when the season has started off like a nightmare, notre dame continues to deal with everyone with integrity and class.
thanks for another great article,
bob gilleran