'05 MD LB Rico McCoy (Tennessee signee)

[wadc45]

CFBNews Redshirt Freshman All-America Team

LB Rico McCoy, Tennessee – Although he spent most of last fall recovering from foot surgery, Tennessee coaches haven’t stopped clamoring about McCoy’s ability and instincts. He enjoyed a breakout spring, consistently making big plays and delivering big sticks. With all of last year’s starting linebackers out of eligibility, McCoy has a great chance to make a huge splash in 2006.

[gobucks19]

Thnx for the update

Out of the guys we missed that year, I wanted this guy the most. I thought he was a true LB from the first time I saw film of him. Tenn got a helluva haul of LBs that year, much like ours last year. They should be stout in the middle for the next couple of years.

[JCOSU86]

That Tennessee D was better than OSU's last year, right Charlie?

[Buckskin86]

Freshman Vol Charged With Assault Days Before Practice Opens
Posted: 8/1/2006 9:57:45 AM

Two Tennessee redshirt freshmen football players were stopped by police on Interstate 40 near Cookeville after allegedly waving a gun at an off-duty officer. One of them, Marsalous Johnson, was charged with aggravated assault even though the gun turned out to be a toy.


Johnson, a defensive back from Smyrna, and Rico McCoy, a linebacker from Washington, D.C., were pulled over about 10:30 Sunday night.

Putnam County Sheriff's deputy Michael Hoover reported that he was driving his personal vehicle when Johnson's car pulled up beside his.

Hoover said the driver appeared to be upset at his speed and waved what looked like a gun.

Johnson denied pointing a gun at Hoover, but officers later found a black plastic Uzi under a passenger seat in his car.

Johnson spent the night in jail before posting $10,000 bond and being released.

Coach Phillip Fulmer said he hasn't decided whether to punish the players.

The Volunteers preceded last year's 5-6 record with eight players being arrested from January 2005 to July 2005.

Practice for the upcoming season begins Friday.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

http://www.newschannel5.com/content/ut/21104.asp

Tuesday, 08/01/06

UT freshman facing felony charge
Ex-Smyrna star waved gun, deputy alleges

By CHRIS LOW
Staff Writer


KNOXVILLE — Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer said Monday he won't rush to judgment on any potential disciplinary measures for redshirt freshman defensive back Marsalous Johnson.

The former Smyrna High star was arrested Sunday night and charged with felony aggravated assault after an off-duty Putnam County Sheriff's Department deputy said Johnson waved a pellet gun at him on Interstate 40 near Monterey.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Rico McCoy was also in the car with Johnson, according to police records, but was not charged.

"I want to find out more about what happened, see what's true and what's not and go from there," said Fulmer, whose Vols open preseason practice Friday. "We've had very few distractions this offseason, and we're not going to let this be one."

The sheriff's deputy who accused Johnson of waving the pellet gun, Mike Hoover, is also a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officer and was on his way home from a shift as a boating officer at Center Hill Lake when the incident occurred, said Dan Hicks, the TWRA Region 3 public information officer.

Hicks said Hoover had his nephew in the car with him when Johnson pointed what appeared to be a gun at them.

"You've got inches of space between the vehicles, and then in addition to that, somebody's pointing what our officer deemed to be a gun," Hicks said. "Anyone under those circumstances would have felt threatened."

Hicks said Hoover, who was in a private vehicle but wearing his TWRA uniform, tried unsuccessfully to get Johnson to pull over and then communicated with another on-duty sheriff's department deputy, who was able to intercept Johnson. Hoover was at the scene at the time of the arrest.

Hicks said Johnson initially denied to police that he had a gun, but that a search of his car produced a plastic Uzi pellet gun under the passenger seat.

Johnson later admitted that the pellet gun was his, although he said he forgot it was in the car, according to police.

Johnson told coaches and teammates that Hoover was refusing to let him pass. Johnson told police that Hoover was slamming on brakes and trying to get him to rear-end him.

According to police records, Johnson also admitted that he pulled alongside Hoover's truck, rolled down the window and yelled.

Both Johnson and McCoy were handcuffed and placed in the back of the police car. McCoy denied any involvement and was released.

Johnson spent the night in jail before posting $10,000 bond and being released Monday. Johnson appeared in court on Monday, and the case was continued to Sept. 6.

His mother, Patricia Fayne, declined to comment other than to say, "I know my son is not like that, and anybody around here knows he's not like that."

Fayne said the family has retained an attorney.

Fulmer had placed his players on a zero-tolerance policy following the May arrest of senior linebacker Marvin Mitchell on disorderly conduct charges. Mitchell remains suspended, although Fulmer said at the SEC Media Days that he expects Mitchell to be back for the Sept. 2 opener against California.

Fulmer also dismissed redshirt freshman defensive lineman Raymond Henderson from the team for what Fulmer called an inappropriate comment Henderson made to an adolescent girl. n

in a restaurant. Henderson has since transferred to Minnesota. •

http://www.rctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll.../1002/MTCN0302

[ShakerBuck]

Academically ineligible for Capital One Bowl on Jan 1.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Another guy we may have been "lucky" not to land.....it is funny how it works out like that......

[BGriffBuckeye]

A LOT of times I wonder if it is just a matter of the Staff REALLY wanting a kid early, and then backing off late. This seems to happen waaay to often to just be a coincidence.