FRIDAY,APRIL25,2003
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 3B
Middle Tennessee players to enter NFL draft
By David Hunter
Sidelines via U-wire
Middle Tennessee State University
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Three of the most record-setting Middle Tennessee football players in history — Dwone Hicks, Tyrone Calico and ReShard Lee — will be showcased this weekend as they look to continue their football careers to the next level with the NFL draft.
Dwone Hicks, who ran a 4.59 second 40-yard dash, had a slow start to last season because of a knee injury and missed two games. Hicks picked up where he left off and was still able to run for more than 1,000 yards for the third straight season.
Hicks was named to the All-Sun Belt Conference second team. Hicks holds the school record of 53 touchdowns. He is also in the top 10 in many other Blue Raider records.
According to www.cbsssportsline.com, Hicks "has a stout
frame with good vision and the speed to break tackles,has the acceleration to create separation, showing a short burst through the holes."He also "has just marginal explosion when accelerating around the corner, has reliable hands, but looks stiff trying to adjust to the catch and lets too many passes absorb into his body."
The Sporting News magazine has Hicks being picked in the fifth round.
Wide receiver Tyrone Calico was known as a leader for MT that performed with his actions, not words.
Last season, Calico was named to the All-SBC first team by leading the Blue Raiders with 45 catches and 606 yards and 4 touchdowns. Calico was a fouryear starter and caught 194 catches, gaining 2,636 yards with 12 touchdowns.
Calico is second behind Kendall Newsom (1998-2001) in career receptions and yards in MT history. Newsom, who had 238
catches for 3,074 yards during his four-year career, was picked in the seventh round by the Jacksonville Jaguars at last year's draft.
Newsm was cut in training camp, and is not on an NFL team at this time.
According to www.cbssportsline.com, some of Calico's strong points include "well-proportioned with a rare-sized frame, very long arms, solid chest and shoulders and good definition in his legs and calves."
Some of the weak points mentioned by www.cbsportsline.com include, "good agility, but he appears a little stiff in his hips."
SI.com has Calico being picked in the first round by the AFC champions the Oakland Raiders with the 31st selection.
"Tyrone Calico has the chance to be the highest drafted kid to ever come out of here," said Middle Tennessee head football coach Andy McCollum.
The highest a former MT player
"Tyrone Calico has the chance to be the highest drafted kid to ever come out of here."
Andy McCollum Middle Tennessee head football coach
has been selected was in the third round, twice, with quarterback Jonathan Quinn in 1998 by the Jacksonville Jaguars and linebacker Mike Caldwell in 1993 by the Cleveland Browns.
MT running back ReShard Lee decided to leave school after his junior year after playing only two seasons.
However, teamed with Hicks they became one of the best running back duos in the country. Lee showed last season that he could do it all-run, pass and return kicks and was named to the All-SBC second-team. Lee finished second on the team in rushing with 642 yards and 6 touchdowns.
According to www.cbssportline.com, some of his positives include being a "dangerous open field runner with a muscular upper body and strong legs."
On the other side, some of his negatives are he remains "untested as a pass catcher, and tends to let the ball absorb into his body rather than extend."
"It's great for our program to have three, and there may be a couple more kids to get opportunities, too, but to have three guys drafted, if that works out, then that's what we want to do as far as recruiting, as far as bringing guys in here with that type of potential. That everybody across America sees Middle Tennessee, and that what we will continue doing is get those types of caliber players, and that type of character part of our program," McCollum said.
The NFL draft takes place this weekend with coverage on ESPN beginning on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Stolen Red Raider mascot costume returned
By Angela Timmons University Daily via U-wire Texas Tech University
LUBBOCK, Texas — The Raider Red mascot costume, stolen from Doak Hall on April 12, was returned to Texas Tech Police on Monday night, Maj. Eddie Huckabee said.
The costume, previously referred to incorrectly as the mascot's baseball costume, is the mascot's all-purpose costume and was originally stolen from Raider Red's residence hall room following a home baseball game.
Huckabee said the situation was still under investigation. The police had been questioning several suspects, he said, and one
particular subject finally admitted to the theft and returned the costume to the police.
"After questioning, they said they took it and agreed to retrieve it for us." Huckabee said
Huckabee said as soon as the case was prepared, names and more information may be released.
Huckabee reported no damage to the costume. The portion of the costume stolen, which was everything except the head and hat, is an estimated value of $2,495.
While Huckabee said whether charges will be pressed is up to the Saddle Tramps, the Texas Tech cheer squad, but state law requires the police department to bring the incident to the attention of the court.
"Our policy is, every time we resolve a case, we have to bring it to the district attorney's office," he said. "But they may not press charges."
Bill Dean, mass communications professor and a Saddle Tramp sponsor, said the police still have the costume in their custody for some procedures they need to go through. Dean said the process of getting the costume returned involved the police investigation, and it was not voluntarily turned in.
How the investigation will be handled from this point on is up to the police, Dean said. The Saddle Tramps had suggested an anonymous return, but the police ended up having to track the uniform down.
"Our position was, whoever took it, if they would just turn it back in, we wouldn't prosecute," he said. "How they want to handle it is up to the police. We're just very glad to have it back."
Jeff Blatt, head of the Raider Red committee, said the Saddle Tramps were thrilled to have the costume back but were disappointed the situation was being turned over to the police and district attorney.
"For one thing, it's pretty sad they didn't turn it in and we had to find it because of the prosecution they have to face now." Blatt said. "I'm pretty scared for them right now."
Blatt said the Saddle Tramps were looking to press quite a few
charges because the procedure involved investigation instead of a voluntary, anonymous return.
However, the Tramps have learned a few things about keeping the costume safe. Blatt said.
"We definitely learned our lesson," he said. "We'll make sure it's never kept on campus again — this definitely opened up our eyes to the situation."
Blatt said this particular circumstance is not necessarily routine with the individual playing the part of Raider Red bringing the costume back to his personal place of residence.
"Usually it goes back to the chairman or to the main Raider Red," Blatt said. "This situation was different."
By Richard D. Tipton The Parthenon via U-wire Marshall University
Marshall athletes arrested
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — "Nice. That's the first I've heard about it," Marshall University Sports Information Director Ricky Hazel said when told of the charges against Dennis Lee Thornton, a sophomore linebacker on the football team, from Spotsylvania, Pa.
Huntington Police Department arrested Thornton at 6:49 p.m.yesterday evening as part of a sting operation in which four others were arrested, according to a Huntington Police Department report.
The sting focused on the 600 block of 15th Street.
Thornton has been charged with solicitation of prostitution.
He allegedly propositioned an undercover female officer, according to the police report.
"The accused offered an undercover officer $20 for oral sex," the report said.
The charge comes on the heels of last week's arrest of sophomore football player Garrett Morrison on domestic assault and battery charges.
Also, Marshall Quarterback Stan Hill pleaded guilty April 15 to driving with a suspended license and going through a red light.
In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped other charges including resisting arrest and public intoxication.
When asked whether the frequency of student-athlete arrests indicate a trend Hazel said, "It's just college students being college students, nothing more than that."
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