First of all, we cleaned up to simplify the front page story. Now, all of this is hard to explain and is a bit confusion in terms of his potential reinstatement.
We are hearing that a reinstatement could possibly come in the next 24-48 hours.
Now for the confusion stuff...
By University policy if a student is found not guilty in a University case then a suspension could be lifted and it's over. No student conduct.
However, just because the state of Tennessee decided there was not enough to prosecute, the University has a separate investigation into violations of student conduct so they make their own ruling separate of what the court of law or the DA's office decides.
Obviously, there are lots of questions about Michael Williams being a student facing an indictment and Pearson suspended without being charged. All the University will say is that each case is different. Obviously, the University felt like that had justification for coming back and suspending Pearson for the summer. I have no idea what that justification was and the University under federal law can't say.
From a public standpoint, the University is backed into a box here with one former player charged with a crime being allowed to remain a student while another who was never charged was suspended during the investigation.
It will be interesting to see what transpires tomorrow. Pearson will not be on the practice field tonight for sure.
We are hearing that a reinstatement could possibly come in the next 24-48 hours.
Now for the confusion stuff...
By University policy if a student is found not guilty in a University case then a suspension could be lifted and it's over. No student conduct.
However, just because the state of Tennessee decided there was not enough to prosecute, the University has a separate investigation into violations of student conduct so they make their own ruling separate of what the court of law or the DA's office decides.
Obviously, there are lots of questions about Michael Williams being a student facing an indictment and Pearson suspended without being charged. All the University will say is that each case is different. Obviously, the University felt like that had justification for coming back and suspending Pearson for the summer. I have no idea what that justification was and the University under federal law can't say.
From a public standpoint, the University is backed into a box here with one former player charged with a crime being allowed to remain a student while another who was never charged was suspended during the investigation.
It will be interesting to see what transpires tomorrow. Pearson will not be on the practice field tonight for sure.
