Texas Football has dismissed 5 players and suspended 3 others.
Charlie Strong’s full-fledged purge of the Texas football program is nearing double digits, with the first-year Longhorns coach confirming the suspension or expulsion of eight players Sunday afternoon.
Strong announced the dismissals of wide receivers Kendall Sanders and Montrel Meander, running backs Jalen Overstreet and Joe Bergeron, and defensive back Chevoski Collins at his preseason news conference, according to ESPN Texas.
Offensive tackle Desmond Harrison, wide receiver Daje Johnson, and safety Josh Turner were all suspended indefinitely.
The fines follow a series of off-field incidents involving Longhorns players. Sanders and Meander were charged with felony sexual assault in the second degree and unauthorized photography after allegedly filming themselves raping a woman in June. The charges carry a maximum jail sentence of 20 years, and bail was set at $75,000 for each.
“We’ve been monitoring and addressing the situation with Kendall and Montrel since it was brought to our attention,” Strong stated in a statement to ESPN.com. “It’s been made clear to everyone on our team that treating women with respect is one of our core values, and I’m extremely disappointed that two young men in our program have been accused of not doing that.”
Neither player has formally entered a plea, but they are anticipated to plead not guilty.
While the reasons for Overstreet and Collins’ dismissals are less clear, they had been planned since last month. Taylor Gaspar of Orangebloods.com was the first to report that Collins and Overstreet were excluded from the Moncrief Complex, where Texas players train. Strong did not specify the reason for their departure, but he did make a broad remark about the “core values” of his team, according to ESPN Texas:
Bergeron and Turner were terminated together roughly a week ago for an unexplained breach of team rules. Bergeron and Strong have had a turbulent history, beginning with the former’s first exit from the program during spring practice. While it was thought Bergeron had re-entered the running back conversation and restored his connection with Strong, Sunday’s announcement suggests something else going on behind the scenes.
Bergeron will most certainly transfer immediately, as he just has one year of college eligibility left.
Turner has been permitted to stay on the team despite his suspension. According to ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter, Turner and Strong met last Wednesday and reached an arrangement to continue with the team. It is unclear how long Turner, Harrison, and Johnson will be suspended.
A source told HornsDigest.com’s Chip Brown that Harrison and Johnson were on their “last strike.” The reasons for their suspensions were not disclosed. Johnson was previously suspended twice by former head coach Mack Brown for violating club rules.
The news of his latest departure comes as part of Strong’s push for increased accountability in the locker room. The 54-year-old coach, a firm believer in a disciplined culture, came over from Louisville with promises of on-field domination and off-field class.
“They are looking for that. “They want discipline,” Strong told Fox Sports Southwest’s David Ubben. “They’ve heard so much about what they haven’t accomplished. Now they want to show everyone that they can do it.”
If Strong’s performance at Texas mirrors his other destinations, Longhorn supporters should be satisfied with his techniques. The Arkansas native went 37-15 in four seasons at Louisville, with a 23-3 record the last two years. He also has a 3-1 bowl record, winning the 2013 Sugar Bowl.
Texas hasn’t won a BCS bowl game since the 2009 Fiesta Bowl. The Longhorns are also coming off a stretch of finishing outside the final Top 25 rankings three of the previous four years. Strong, like he did at Louisville, has a long way to go in rebuilding the talent pool and establishing a winning team at Texas.
