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BU recruit- class of 2012- Darius Paul

Darius Paul now transferred to Illinois making news even before he is eligible
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...illini-paul-arrested-20140422,0,3260760.story

A series of bad decisions & bad behavior.........if he's (under 21) and been out all night drinking alcohol and walking through campus at 3am then tries to flee when police ask for his ID...
but I don't buy the excuse I see on a lot of the Illini message boards that "since everyone does it" they should just let him go...
 
Former BU recruit Darius Paul's legal troubles have resulted in Illinois Coach John Groce suspending him for the 2014-15 season.
http://www.thesportsbank.net/illinois-illini/darius-paul-suspended-season/

He has been sitting out the entire last year after transferring from Western Michigan. If he stays at Illinois, he'd lose a year of eligibility with this suspension. If he transfers to another 4-year school, he would have to sit out another whole year, and he'd lose that year completely (since he can't redshirt another year). So it would seem to make more sense for him to go play at a juco for 1 year, then get recruited all over again. Then he'd have 2 seasons of eligibility at D1 starting in 2015-16.
 
THERE'S GOT TO BE MORE to this story we are not hearing -- he has only one arrest in the records....but the release from Groce says multiple or repeated transgressions.
Also - he will not be on scholarship during his suspension...so this will be interesting. There are rumors of drug tests, partying, and social media violations...
..wonder if this is one of those Jank-like "immediate and total suspensions" that then get lifted later on...
 
I have also heard rumors that Groce realized he had tied up a scholarship for Paul for up to 4 years, and he now knows he is not the difference-maker that he thought he was and what Illinois really needs inside.
Instead, Groce wanted to free up a scholarship or two to go after another 1 or 2 quality inside players, and Paul's transgression was an opportunity for him to do so.
One player Illinois might now go after is former BU recruit Ed Morrow, who's stock has suddenly skyrocketed.
 
Groce has only been there two years and has already had multiple problems with player arrests, off-court issues, suspensions, on-court chemistry issues, taking multiple transfers, and even his assistant coaches getting in trouble and suspended......
Prior to Groce's tenure you also had tremendous issues, felonies, & DUI's - Luther Head, Jamar Smith, Jereme Richmond, Rich McBride, Aaron Spears, and many others...

Have the media ever thought of applying the phrase "renegade program" ??
 
Da Coach said:
I have also heard rumors that Groce realized he had tied up a scholarship for Paul for up to 4 years, and he now knows he is not the difference-maker that he thought he was and what Illinois really needs inside.
Instead, Groce wanted to free up a scholarship or two to go after another 1 or 2 quality inside players, and Paul's transgression was an opportunity for him to do so.
One player Illinois might now go after is former BU recruit Ed Morrow, who's stock has suddenly skyrocketed.
Click to expand...

It was mentioned on the Illini board that he failed 2 drug tests last year, so apparently the drunken arrest was the last straw. College kids will be college kids but student athletes are held to higher standards whether they like it or not. Bad situation for all involved.
 
As I expected, Darius Paul is now reportedly leaving Illinois and transferring to a junior college. This is a highly unusual move, since Paul has already spent 2 full years in college (one at Western Michigan and one at Illinois), but by going to the juco, he would be eligible to play 2 more years starting in the fall of 2015.

Coach John Groce had initially stated he wanted Paul back after he imposed an entire 1 year suspension, but now it seems like he believes he would be better off cutting him loose, instead of continuing to tie up a scholarship on a kid who won't play for another year and a half. I still believe he wants to free up the scholarship to go after one of the good big men in the class of 2015, like Edward Morrow.

Darius Paul will transfer to Lamar State Port Arthur in Texas.
http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/illini-sports/mens-basketball/2014-05-29/darius-paul-move.html
 
tornado said:
More details....
Darius Paul's arrest involves not just alcohol & fleeing from police, but use of dangerous illegal drugs, finding cocaine, and the admission he has failed multiple drug/marijuana tests in his year at Illinois.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/chi-paul-pleads-guilty-20140514,0,7855227.story
Click to expand...

The saga of former BU recruit Darius Paul continues to get interesting. He played his freshman season at Western Michigan, transferred to Illinois after his freshman season (2012-13) and sat out the 2013-14 season there. He then got into trouble a year ago with multiple failed drug tests at Illinois, then a well-publicized underaged drinking incident, and resisting arrest.
Coach John Groce suspended him for the entire 2014-15 season and revoked his scholarship. But instead of wasting the year paying his own way and sitting on the Illinois bench, he transferred to a junior college (Lamar State Port Arthur in Texas) where he played in 22 of 31 games and averaged 17.1 ppg. He transferred back to Illinois, and was on thei Illini preseason European tour, but was not playing due to a shoulder injury.
But now he has been suspended again by Groce, and sent back home early.. The only information released was that he violated team rules during the trip in Europe. Paul is returning back to Champaign immediately and his status will be evaluated after the team returns back home.
http://www.chicagohoops.hoops247.co...-26/5956-illini-suspend-darius-paul-send-home
 
News now leaking out that Darius Paul "was arrested in Deauville, France early Friday morning; charged with vandalism, public intoxication, resisting arrest"
https://twitter.com/WCIA3Bret/status/632599584628281344

If he was arrested and has legal charges against him in France, how can he leave the country and return home? Doesn't he have to face the charges? Doesn't he have to face some sort of punishment or at least make restitution for the vandalism?
 
Statements from the French police:
"... they responded to multiple calls of Paul breaking windows and damaging vehicles.
He was taken into custody and charged with vandalism, public intoxication and resisting arrest.

...Paul was "very, very drunk" when authorities approached him.
"He rebelled against us," Pons said. "It was hard to get him into custody because he is so big."

... Illini forward spent 'about eight hours' behind bars before he was seen by a judge. He was later released. Pons said a trial is set for later this year but she did not know the date. Nor did she know how much damage Paul caused to the vehicles.

"After he sobered up he realized what he had done and was very remorseful," Pons added."
 
One Mistake Is Forgiveable

One Mistake Is Forgiveable

Anyone can make a mistake. Multiple mistakes are a different story. We need kids who want to learn, grow and understand the concept of teamwork. It is not about any single student athlete. It is about the University that embraces them and the team results.
 
Jamar Smith all over again - thankfully he didn't get behind the wheel..

but one question nobody seems to bother to ask....
They are in Europe, he's with the team, the coaches, etc...
they know his history of drinking, going wild and getting arrested in the middle of the night....
So the biggest question is - just who was responsible for keeping an eye on him and knowing or checking that he was in his hotel?

If they gave him such free reign that he was allowed to be out on the streets in the middle of the night drinking and fighting police, then Darius Paul isn't the only one who needs to be gone (although I think if he was going to be dismissed, it would have already been stated - I think Groce knows his job is on the line and he has no big men - and is desperate to find some way to lobby his AD to keep the kid)
 
it is going to be a very tough year for head coach John Groce...
he's already lost his starting point guard Abrams for the year - and it's looking more and more like one of his top incoming guards, Jalen Coleman-Lands might not be able to help much this year -
now it might be really tough to jettison Darius Paul - so I think they will work overtime to try to find a way to keep him on the roster - maybe announce a "terrible" 10-game suspension, that still allows him to be back for the Big Ten season?

Regardless, there is already a lot of excuse building about how Groce won't be able to win this year - but he's edging closer to the hot seat anyway.
He's only been there 3 years - averaging 21 wins per year, and there's complete turmoil at the top with the scandal involving the Chancellor,
...seriously - he's not at the point yet where I'd be calling for his head...
 
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