TCU, Boise St. suspend 11 for bowl matchup
Disciplinary measures cost each team one offensive line starter
12:07 AM CST on Monday, December 22, 2003
By CALVIN WATKINS and RICK ALONZO / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH ? Five TCU football players, including one starter, were suspended Sunday for violating team rules and won't play in the PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Boise State announced that six players, including one starting offensive lineman, are academically ineligible and will also sit out the bowl game.
TCU coach Gary Patterson said the violations occurred Saturday night. Junior starting center Chase Johnson a second-team all-Conference USA selection, missed his midnight curfew by two hours at TCU's team hotel, Patterson said.
Sophomore Stephen Culp will start in place of Johnson.
Patterson said the four other players, all under 21, will be suspended for possession of alcohol. Freshman fullback Marcus Draper, redshirt freshmen fullback Reggie La'Mothe and cornerbacks Gerrad Wilson and Derek Ferry will miss the game.
"I don't know if they were drinking or if they weren't drinking, but they can't have alcohol," Patterson said. "They're not supposed to be around it [alcohol] at all. Somehow, they got it."
Patterson said he didn't ask the players how they got the alcohol. He said all the players had been informed of specific team rules. He said the parents of the suspended players were notified. Those suspended will not be on the sideline during the game.
"Somewhere along the line, my job is also to teach them humility and accountability," Patterson said.
Boise State will lose starting guard Tyrone Tutogi. Klayton Adams will replace Tutogi.
In addition, Boise State must replace three special teams players because of the suspensions.
"We have to follow the rules of the WAC," Hawkins said in reference to the suspensions.
The other ineligible Bronco players include safeties Brad Allen and Cam Hall, cornerback Terrial Hall, tight end Trent Lundin and wide receiver Tony McPherson.
Boise State's arrival too late for Frogs
Boise State players were to meet TCU players Saturday night at Billy Bob's restaurant. It would have been the only time the teams' players interacted before Tuesday's game. But Boise's charter flight was nearly two hours late. The Broncos, who were scheduled to meet the Horned Frogs at 6 p.m., didn't arrive at Billy Bob's until 9 p.m. TCU's players had left by then.
