Reserve defensive lineman Darius Jones will serve a one-game suspension Sept. 6 in the Badgers home opener against Akron. Jones was suspended after “violating team rules,” head coach Barry Alvarez announced after practice Aug. 5. Alvarez refused further comment on Jones’ suspension during the Badgers’ media day, and the date of the suspension was not announced until Aug. 15.
“I considered a number of different options in regard to a suspension,” Alvarez said. “He will miss our home opener, which is an important game to our players, especially those from Wisconsin.”
Jones was stopped in the early morning hours July 21 on University Avenue in Shorewood Hills and ticketed for drunken driving and speeding.
Jones, a junior from Beloit Memorial, is currently listed as the Badgers’ second-string defensive end behind Erasmus James on the left side. He finished second on the team in both sacks (5) and tackles for loss (10) last season, earning his second varsity letter. Jones is a valuable commodity in the defensive rotation of the Badgers’ front four because his versatility allows him to play both tackle and end.
Docherty and Lang leave team
After reaffirming his academic eligibility, junior tight end Bob Docherty has decided to quit the University of Wisconsin football team along with sophomore defensive lineman Jeff Lang, Barry Alvarez announced after an Aug 15 training-camp session.
Docherty started the first six games of the 2002 season before he injured his ankle against Penn State. Coming into fall training camp, Docherty was listed as the No. 2 tight end behind Tony Paciotti. The Oshkosh native played in all 12 games as a freshman in 2001, earning two starts against Ohio State and Minnesota. Docherty’s career game was notched when he made 10 catches for 118 yards while scoring a touchdown against UNLV.
Lang, a native of Greenfield, redshirted as a freshman and did not letter for the Badgers in 2002.
Alvarez establishes student-athlete policy on discipline
Athletic Director-designee Barry Alvarez announced the creation of a student-athlete disciplinary policy that deals with the consequences for athletes who break local, state or federal laws, along with University and specific team rules, Aug. 21.
Under the new policy, if a student-athlete has been convicted of, charged with or arrested for violating a law involving drugs, gambling or violence, the student-athlete will be suspended from all competitions and practices. The suspended student-athlete would, however, maintain the privileged uses of the academic center, sports-medicine facility and weight room. Violations involving alcohol that do not violate the law will be addressed under each team’s standard rules.
“The conduct of UW student-athletes is very important to our athletic department as well as the institution,” Alvarez said. “The purpose of this policy is to establish standards of conduct along with the potential consequences for those individuals who make choices reflecting negativity on the University and the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics.”
Alvarez and other Athletic Department officials looked to other universities including Nebraska, Iowa State and Maryland for examples of the disciplinary policy, which includes an appeals process that will been seen by an Appeals Committee consisting of staff members of the athletic department.
Three Badgers named to 2003 watch lists
Senior linebackers Alex Lewis and Jeff Mack have been placed on the 2003 preseason watch list for the Dick Butkus award, which annually honors the nation’s premiere linebacker.
Mack, a team captain and Madison native, is currently the oldest player on the Badger football team and is the leading career-tackler among current players. Mack missed five games last season after suffering a stinger against Penn State, but came back to be honored as the defensive MVP of the Alamo Bowl.
Lewis, who transferred from SUNY-Morrisville, played in all 14 games of 2002 while starting 10 in his first season with the Badgers. He led the Badgers in TFLs (11) while finishing third on the team in tackles.
Six Big Ten players have been given the Butkus award, including LaVar Arrington and Andy Katzenmoyer. No Wisconsin player has ever been presented with the award.
Junior tailback Anthony Davis is among 39 running backs on the Doak Walker Award Watch List as the nation’s top running back. Davis was a semifinalist as a freshman in 2001. Penn State’s Larry Johnson was the Walker award winner in 2002.
