Jarius Jackson dismissed

[MajorMike]

Knight dismisses Jackson from team
BY JEFF WALKER
AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

Texas Tech's basketball season took a drastic turn on Tuesday, two weeks before the Red Raiders are scheduled to open the regular season.

Senior guard Jay Jackson has been dismissed from the team, according to head coach Bob Knight.

Knight said Jackson was let go "for failure to fulfill academic requirements that we have for our men's basketball team."

Because of the Buckley Amendment, college coaches aren't allowed to talk specifically about student-athletes' academics.

Knight said, though, that the matter might be addressed again at a later time.

"If Jackson is able to do what is required of him that we have discussed, when he has satisfactorily done what is required of him, then maybe, at that time, we might discuss the possibility of him returning," Knight said.

Jackson was expected to be the anchor of Tech's team that is attempting to bounce back from last year's 15-17 season. The 6-foot-1 guard from Monroe, La., already has been getting plenty of attention in the preseason. He was named to the first team All-Big 12 Team and last week was one of 50 players put on the John Wooden Watch List.

Jackson is the lone player featured on the cover of the Tech men's basketball media guide and was one of two players (along with Jon Plefka) who attended the Big 12 Media Day two weeks ago in Oklahoma City.

If Jackson is off the team for good, Knight has a few options at his disposal.

Junior-college transfer Charlie Burgess was named last season's NJCAA Player of the Year after he averaged 15.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists at Howard College.

Burgess' teammate, Benny Valentine, might be inserted alongside Burgess in the Red Raiders' backcourt to try and duplicate last year's success. The Hawks finished last season at 35-2, the best record in school history. The team went to the NJCAA Tournament for the first time in 39 years, finishing in fifth place. The Hawks were ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA poll for 10 consecutive weeks.

If Knight elects to go with players who are used to his system, LucQuente White was in the starting lineup for last year's regular-season opener. He suffered a knee injury, though, and played in only 17 games, starting seven. White averaged two points per game and dished out 28 assists.

Sophomore Alan Voskuil also returns. He appeared in 32 games last year and started five. He averaged 3.6 points and was 26 of 64 (41 percent) from 3-point range.

Without Jackson, though, Tech loses a substantial portion of offense. He averaged 20.5 points per game last year, the highest scoring average returning to the Big 12 Conference this season. He has amassed 1,544 points, which is 11th on Tech's all-time scoring list. With another strong season, Jackson had the chance to become Tech's all-time leading scorer. Former teammate Andre Emmett scored 2,256 points in his career.

[FromWayDowntown]

Say all that you want about Bob Knight, but there's little doubt that he has long shown a commitment to demanding that his players take advantage of the educational opportunities available to them -- and punishing their refusal to do so while in the program. Certainly, he's had kids leave early and I'm sure there are other instances of kids who did not graduate; but with Knight, if a kid isn't getting it done academically, he doesn't play. Period. That's not seen as a virtue in collegiate coaching anymore -- and that's a shame.

[MajorMike]

Well, yeah, especially at tek. They cornered the market in using inelligible players, so they know the warning signs.

[FromWayDowntown]

Well, yeah, especially at tek. They cornered the market in using inelligible players, so they know the warning signs.

Um, yeah. Knight has been demanding that his players go to class and make progress towards their degrees since he was coaching at Army in the 60's. He's a rare bird these days among college hoops coaches; he doesn't pander to his kids and demands that they meet certain basics as a requirement to remain in his program. Dismissing Jackson demonstrates again that that's not just limp-wristed platitude.

It's too bad that more collegiate coaches don't see the value in requiring their student-athletes to exceed academic minimums. I guess since the fans don't care about academics, why should the coaches bother?

[leemajors]

Um, yeah. Knight has been demanding that his players go to class and make progress towards their degrees since he was coaching at Army in the 60's. He's a rare bird these days among college hoops coaches; he doesn't pander to his kids and demands that they meet certain basics as a requirement to remain in his program. Dismissing Jackson demonstrates again that that's not just limp-wristed platitude.

It's too bad that more collegiate coaches don't see the value in requiring their student-athletes to exceed academic minimums. I guess since the fans don't care about academics, why should the coaches bother?

there was a good discussion about this on PTI yesterday, and even Wilbon gave Knight some props, which he rarely does - Jackson was still academically eligible by NCAA standards, but Knight holds his athletes to a higher standard. It's good that he does so and is concerned about his players actually getting something besides a free ride.

[FromWayDowntown]

there was a good discussion about this on PTI yesterday, and even Wilbon gave Knight some props, which he rarely does - Jackson was still academically eligible by NCAA standards, but Knight holds his athletes to a higher standard. It's good that he does so and is concerned about his players actually getting something besides a free ride.

Coach Knight is no angel -- he certainly does a lot of things that warrant criticism -- but there's no doubt that he believes strongly that his mission as a coach extends beyond winning basketball games. I think that sort of commitment gets lost in the shuffle sometimes of those who want to criticize the man. He does some bad things, but in the end, I think he's all about doing what he thinks is best for the kids who are in his program.

[leemajors]

Coach Knight is no angel -- he certainly does a lot of things that warrant criticism -- but there's no doubt that he believes strongly that his mission as a coach extends beyond winning basketball games. I think that sort of commitment gets lost in the shuffle sometimes of those who want to criticize the man. He does some bad things, but in the end, I think he's all about doing what he thinks is best for the kids who are in his program.

agreed.