The Last Big Question: What Of Ramonce Taylor?

by Peter Bean on Jul 10, 2006 12:43 PM CDT in Texas Longhorns Football

The Texas Sports Information Office continued its "preview" of the 2006 football team with a look at the tailbacks today. In it they highlight the considerable accomplishments of Mr. Ramonce Taylor, though they do not preview him for this season as they do Jamaal Charles, Selvin Young, and Henry Melton.

Taylor, you may remember, made the news in May after he was arrested for felony possession of marijuana. Having already been suspended for the team for issues with his grades, I postulated that Taylor's days as a Texas Longhorn were behind him.

Was my burial premature?

Rumors in Austin have Taylor working out with the team during informal 7-on-7 drills. The non-sanctioned practices, which coaches or university officials cannot organize, attend, or watch over, have many wondering if Taylor's presence indicates a potential return to the gridiron.

Some think we may yet see more of this.

Other sources are speculating that the charges against Taylor will be dropped, which has added fuel to the speculative fire. If true, Taylor's chances of earning reinstatement to the team certainly are dramatically better.

Still, from where I'm sitting Taylor's return seems highly unlikely - whether the charges are dropped or not. As I said before, this is big business, and image counts, so how Mack handles problem cases is carefully scrutinized. If the marijuana incident had been Taylor's first, a forgiving second chance seems plausible, if not likely. However, Taylor's problems extend beyond an isolated incident. Taken in sum, they form a pattern, painting a picture of a young man with self-control and behavioral problems.

In that light, Mack Brown may be more likely to view Taylor as a ticking time bomb. So much so that, especially considering Texas' depth at tailback, it would be risky (at the least) to re-insitate him. No one player is bigger than the program. Mack Brown has never shied away from that principle before - it seems unlikely he would do so now.

At this point, it's still all very speculative, and we can't draw any further conclusions until everything plays out a little more. Still, the smart money's on Ramonce Taylor being done as a Longhorn.

--PB--

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Comments

One game suspension

PB, I don't know how you do that archive shit, but go back and find our posts from May. I swear I said something like "don't be surprised to seem RT back by the second game."

If those charges get dropped, it's like it never happened. And if he did indeed pull his grades up, there is no way Mack, Deloss and UT's SID are going to risk having the NAACP and Jesse Jackson stirring up a media shit storm about how UT is trying to keep a brother down.

Obviously, RT isn't quite on the level and far from being a boy scout, but I doubt whether Mack wants him gone or not, I'm not sure he can do anything about it other than bench RT for a game...just like he did to Cedric "Flatscreen" Benson in '03.

by 54b on Jul 10, 2006 12:58 PM CDT reply actions

I definitely remember

Almost cited it in my post.

http://www.burntorangenation.com/comments/2006/5/16/112742/202/6#6

And

http://www.burntorangenation.com/comments/2006/5/16/112742/202/8#8

You called a one-game suspension from the get-go. I'm genuinely curious.

by Peter Bean on Jul 10, 2006 1:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Beat me to it.

Damn work computer. It -literally- takes 15-20 minutes to load the YouTube videos you link now.

by GoHorns on Jul 10, 2006 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions

Inside Sources

Its funny, but I had a Notre Dame alum with connections to the DA down there say they were "sending Ramonce away for good" and that the Jamail contigency wouldn't intervene with legal help (like in the past).

Of course, I took this story with a grain of salt, but it came from a reliable source. All indications were that Ramonce's Longhorn family protections and privelages were used up and he was on his own.
Now it looks like he could beat this.

How would this make everyone feel if Ramonce returns? I have mixed feelings, because he didn't exactly hurt anyone. Then again, his track record indicates that next time, he might hurt someone.

54b is right though. If they deny Ramonce they could end up in a legal struggle. Even HS programs battle these sorts of things. They can only suspend him on the basis of breaking team rules, but can't dismiss him unless he's convicted or fails his classes.

Walker, Texas Ranger -- C.D. Parker: And how are you doing, little partner? Lucas Simms: Walker told me I have AIDS.

by EYESofBEVO on Jul 10, 2006 1:50 PM CDT reply actions

Well

I think for reinstatement to hold water, a couple things would have to happen.

The grades would have to come way up. This is probably the #1 thing RT could do at this point - it would show an ACTION, not just a promise.
The charges would have to be totally dropped.

Even then, RT seems gone to me, but if 54b is right, and civil rights lawyers get involved, who knows?

by Peter Bean on Jul 10, 2006 1:56 PM CDT reply actions

Civil Rights lawyers = reinstatement

Whether you agree with the end result or not, if they get involved, it's a done deal.

by GoHorns on Jul 10, 2006 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions

grades

Doesnt he have to make up some huge chunks of territory "towards a degree" to even set foot on the field?

I don't see that happening.

Good luck to him.

by the other Andrew on Jul 10, 2006 2:38 PM CDT up reply actions

ive heard...

What I've heard from an old HS friend who is a walk on:

the legal charges have already been dropped. RT has something like 12 hours of class this summer, if he passes everything he is back on the team.

I do think that Brown could take a bad PR hit from this. maybe a 1 game suspension should be expected.

by Matt @ Burnt Orange Nation on Jul 10, 2006 3:38 PM CDT reply actions

This is where the SID earns his money

If I'm playing Monday Morning PR Quarterback, I'd say the SID for Texas needs to wait to find out if RT passes his classes this summer. If he does, then boom, he hits every news service covering college FB known to man with a press release that talks about how RT has turned the corner at school and in life. In smaller print, but not too small, I mention that the charges from that "other problem" were dropped.

I might also have RT issue a public apology to the team, the school, and the fans. Nothing over the top, just a thanks for being patient with me, I've made some mistakes, but I appreciate the second chance.

And Mack suspends him for one game, conduct unbecoming.

That's how I'd play it. Mack and the program will still take a PR hit, but it won't be as bad as it would have been if the drug incident had happened in August.

by 54b on Jul 10, 2006 4:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah

The timing of this may save RT yet. If this happens in August, as you mention, or even July, all bets are off. That's not enough time for him to undergo whatever behavioral improvement said press release would be touting.

I honestly think it's a gamble they aren't going to take, but if I was 95% sure he wouldn't be back in April, I'm still a solid 75% sure today.

I'm getting a headache. This is tricky.

by Peter Bean on Jul 10, 2006 4:19 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm trying to be objective

I'm definitely on record here saying that I've always been proud of Mack for getting rid of the bad elements. And given what's transpired, it's hard to believe Ramonce is an innocent victim in all this.

That being said, we don't have all the facts. You can point to the grade problems, but we didn't hold it against PJ and that dude missed a whole year. All RT has missed so far is spring training. I also had a lot of friends who partied a little too hard in their early years and went on scho-pro.

So at the end of the day, I don't think he's all that different from a lot of people who find it hard making the transition. It's just that his life is under a microscope. And while I don't feel sorry for RT for possible wasting a tremendous op, I'm not going to boo if they let him back on the team.

by 54b on Jul 10, 2006 4:53 PM CDT up reply actions

Duly noted

Yeah, I'm not trying to condemn the kid here. God knows I did at least a hundred things in college that would have resulted in dismissal from the football team.

Also just trying to be objective. I see Mack passing on RT.

by Peter Bean on Jul 11, 2006 6:55 AM CDT up reply actions

Summer School

12 Hours is a you know what in summer school. Good luck to him. True if the charges are dropped and he makes the grades, this puts Mack in a tough position.

by Bevoboy94 on Jul 11, 2006 10:13 AM CDT up reply actions

UT has no obligations

Civil-rights lawyers will have no say in this: only Mack, DeLoss and Bill Powers. Athletic scholarships are one-year contracts, so the university is under no obligation to renew RT's, regardless of his legal status. If Mack decides he's a detriment to the team, he stays off. End of story. If Ramonce takes care of the legal stuff & gets his grades up, he MAY be reinstated.

That's just sick.

by Lizardking on Jul 10, 2006 4:12 PM CDT reply actions

Not so fast

I don't have the facts to refute your post, but unless things have changed, football scholarships are full rides. I was never on scholarship, so I don't know the specifics of the contract, but I knew plenty of guys who were awesome in high school, but never quite made it in college. And as long as they kept their grades up and didn't get into trouble with the law, they kept their rides whether they contributed on the field or not.

Now that doesn't mean a coach can't try to run a guy off who isn't performing well and is only going through the motions, but I don't know that they can just revoke a scholarship for no other reason than they just don't like a guy. They'd have a hard time convincing future recruits to sign if they got a reputation for that.

I'm not saying Mack can't kick Ramonce off permenantly for what's already happened, but if the guy gets it together, he'll have a hard time not reinstating him, political pressure or not. The biggest thing is that Ramonce probably broke the contract when he became ineligible because of the grades. So maybe now he is on one of those one-year renewable deals.

I don't know for sure.

by 54b on Jul 10, 2006 5:02 PM CDT up reply actions

It may depend on the sport

Somebody could probably bother to look this up, but other sports like track and crew evaluate their scholarship athletes on a year to year basis, just like Lizard is implying. I think some are set up on a contigence basis.

They (other sports) do in fact treat them like an annual contract.

I would imagine that it mainly has to do with funding and resources. Most other sports rarely put most of their scholarship athletes on full rides (tuition, room and board). They don't have the budget for a team with full rides. Many are on partial schollies.

My brother earned a full ride football scholly and they treated it like a 4 year contract. Maybe that's the culture of the sport, maybe its an NCAA thing or maybe its just funding. I don't know, but not all sports work that way. Even at UT they don't.

Walker, Texas Ranger -- C.D. Parker: And how are you doing, little partner? Lucas Simms: Walker told me I have AIDS.

by EYESofBEVO on Jul 10, 2006 6:37 PM CDT up reply actions

Basketball is the same way

Scholarships are offered on a year-to-year basis. The coaching staff sits down with each athlete at the end of the year to evaluate their performance and share their decision about renewing the schollie for the next year. Not sure if Texas has every pulled someone's schollie, but there were discussions (all speculation I'm sure) about this all Spring when the burnt-orange optimists were arguing that LA, PJ and D-Gib were all coming back next year, and what Barnes would have to do to make room for them - i.e., advise Winder and Lewis that their schollies weren't going to be renewed.

Football may be different, just because of the nature of the sport and the competitiveness of the pursuit of recruits, and the sheer numbers required (85 guys to field a team).

So what if Mack and Co. decide not to reinstate RT, and then are "forced" to by the civil rights lobby. Can they severely limit RT's playing time, or do they get busted for that too?

What a headache this is becoming. I guess that's why AD's and SID's get paid the big bucks.

Patience Restored

by patienthornsfan on Jul 11, 2006 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions

Correct

That's right, they're year-to-year, but it is extremely rare for a coach to simply kick a kid out the door. Reason is, that gets back to recruits.

What they usually do (if he isn't playing up to expectations) is say, "Son, we don't believe you have a future here. Let me call my buddy, Coach Joe Bob over at Angelo State, and see if they have a place for you." Then the kid transfers.

Or if he's having to quit due to injuries (Brian Pickryl), they'll place him on medical 'ship which doesn't count against the 85 limit but still enables him to get a degree gratis.

That's just sick.

by Lizardking on Jul 11, 2006 1:38 PM CDT up reply actions

Is this really the last big question?

So we have the QB controversy.

We have the "can a team with a MNC with a freshman QB" controversy.

We have the RT controversy.

We have the "can Mack win without VY" controversy.

Seems like we still have a couple of big question marks on D that are just as critical - filling Michael Huff's shoes, for one, and deciding on starters at linebacker for another. I know Aaron Harris didn't finish the season strong last year, but his experience will still be missed. Will the next Derrick Johnson step up from this year's group?

Patience Restored

by patienthornsfan on Jul 11, 2006 1:15 PM CDT reply actions

Don't take it quite so literally

The offseason is dwindling down and into the part where we talk about the team and players - this looks like the last big offseason question.

by Peter Bean on Jul 11, 2006 1:30 PM CDT up reply actions

True

But 52 days is an ungodly long period of time to wait for the season to actually start, and a LOT can happen then...like the NCAA randomly deciding to take potshots at people. Dwayne Jarrett is still a question mark, and I'm afraid he's getting the Mike William's treatment.

Just be happy they're too busy dealing with us to consider anyone else. We probably saved a lot of teams a lot of trouble with the crap we've been through.

Fight On! Beat the Razorbacks!

by USCLink on Jul 11, 2006 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions

Jarrett will be back

a) he did nothing wrong &
b) I'm sure USC's lawyer alumni are well connected enough to get it cleaned up by kickoff.

by the other Andrew on Jul 11, 2006 2:05 PM CDT up reply actions

I can only hope

Wide Recievers won't want to come to 'SC if they keep getting declared ineligible after their breakout sophomore season.

Fight On! Beat the Razorbacks!

by USCLink on Jul 11, 2006 3:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Lawyers may = reinstatement,

but they don't equal playing time. I honestly think getting a civil rights lawyer in on this is a bad deal for RT. Even if the Cochran race card gets RT back on the team, I wouldn't be surprised if all that buys him is a great seat to watch next year's team.

Getting his grades up, appologizing to the team, etc., is probably the best thing that RT can do at this point.

by Brandon 97 on Jul 11, 2006 2:44 PM CDT reply actions

RT is a Thug

I am from Belton where Ramonce is from (not Temple). Ramonce is a stud athlete, but he is a wanna be thug. He stayed in trouble in High School and will continue to stay in trouble. There will be another incident. One year away from making big bucks, but he still goes back home to try to be a thug. Pretty smart. I wish he would get his head on straight and grow up b/c I have always enjoyed watching him play football. We played on a summer league basketball team together just before he started school at UT. Trust me he is not only a stud in football, but he can play some b-ball too!

by Jerkyvan on Jul 23, 2006 1:09 AM CDT reply actions