Thursday, September 10, 2015

With 10 players academically ineligible, Morgan State had depth issues vs. Air Force

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- Morgan State was unable to slow Air Force's offense or get their own going in a season-opening 63-7 loss, a task made more difficult because the Bears went into the game minus several players.

On Friday, the university announced that an NCAA review showed shortcomings in mandated academic requirements, and at least 10 players were ruled academically ineligible. That included six five starters: junior running back Herb Walker Jr., redshirt junior wide receiver Thomas Martin, sophomore right guard Matthew Thompson (Perry Hall), senior outside linebacker Joel Scott (Joppatowne), redshirt junior outside linebacker Ta’Quon Jackson and junior strong safety Antonio Jefferson.

The losses forced the Bears to take 40 freshmen and sophomores to Colorado Springs for Saturday’s game, and nine freshmen, sophomores and redshirt freshmen started in that contest. Coach Lee Hull acknowledged that the team was undermanned against the Falcons.

“It was a big impact,” he said Tuesday morning during a conference call organized by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. “Like I said, we brought 40 freshmen and sophomores. We were just short-handed playing a ...

CONTINUE READING

No comments: