Here we go... Jake will lose carries to a rapist:
KANSAS DEFENDS JUCO TRANSFER
KANSAS DEFENDS JUCO TRANSFER
The Kansas football program is defending itself against criticism of junior college transfer Jocques Crawford, a running back with a troubled past.
Last year Crawford was the national junior college offensive player of the year, rushing for 1,935 yards and 19 touchdowns at Cisco Junior College in Texas.
But in 2005 he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor simple assault after an incident involving a 15-year-old girl. Crawford, who was 17 at the time, was at first charged with aggravated rape. The girl said Crawford and two other boys forced her to perform oral sex. As a result, Crawford spent time in a juvenile detention facility, missed most of his senior year of high school, and had scholarship offers withdrawn.
He committed to Texas Tech out of high school but couldn't pass the academic requirements, which is why he went to Cisco.
This year he's expected to be a major part of the Jayhawks' offense.
But Kansas officials say his troubles are behind him.
"We recruited Jocques because he is a good person and a good football player," coach Mark Mangino said in a prepared statement. "We know that since the incident, Jocques has conducted himself in an exemplary manner and has done what he needed to do to put the incident behind him."
If that's true, Crawford has every right to get an education and pursue a job in the NFL. But he and Kansas had better be ready for heavy scrutiny.
Edited by: Gi-15