TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Antoine Caldwell can’t help but wonder.
How would Alabama’s season have turned out if he and four other players hadn’t been suspended by the university for four games — three of them losses — after violating NCAA rules by using their athletic scholarships to obtain free textbooks for other students.
Right or wrong, Caldwell blames himself, feeling like his mistake “was one of the biggest reasons” the season turned sour.
“I felt like I let my team down a lot,” the junior offensive lineman said. “The guys kind of looked up to me and I view my team as my family. That’s what hurt me worse than anything.
“Even when I was out there practicing like everything was all right, I felt like every day out there I was letting my team down. I put them in a worse situation than they needed to be in.”
Caldwell wasn’t alone. Tailback Glen Coffee, starting guard Marlon Davis and defensive backs/special teamers Chris Rogers and Marquis Johnson were also suspended for those four games. The Tide lost its final four games, including the Auburn game after their return.
“It was hard not to blame ourselves for a lot of that,” Coffee said. “I’m a big critic of myself. Certain situations, I was like, man, I should have been out there.”
Caldwell and Coffee shed some light on what happened in speaking to reporters this week. Both said they didn’t get any money in exchange for the textbooks, which are covered under their athletic scholarships, and that helped reduce their punishment.
“I didn’t sell a book, but I got books that weren’t for my specific classes for another person,” Caldwell said. “Actually, I was kind of helping someone out, but the rules are the rules. I made a mistake, and it was a dumb mistake now that I think about it. You just don’t realize things can catch up with you over a period of time, (whether) it’s right or wrong.”
Coffee said he felt like the length of the suspension “was harsh,” but admitted he knew his actions violated NCAA rules.
“The books were returned after they used the books,” Coffee said. “I was trying to do good, actually. Unfortunately there was a rule that you can’t do stuff like that and I got caught. I felt like I was in the right the whole time. A rule is a rule, though.”
The ordeal didn’t diminish their standing on the team. Caldwell and Davis regained their starting spots for the regular season finale against Auburn. Coffee, who made his second start, finished with a team-high 20 carries for 60 yards.
Caldwell also was later voted as a team captain by his teammates.
“It’s probably one of the proudest moments I’ve had here, just knowing how the season went and missing those games and feeling like I was one of the biggest reasons why this season turned into a letdown the way it did,” he said.
His emotion was equally intense when Alabama compliance officials came to his hotel room on the day before the Tennessee game to notify him of his suspension. Caldwell packed his bags and went home alone.
“Just hurt. That’s all I can say,” he said of his reaction.
Caldwell watched games at his apartment with family members who drove into town to keep him company during his suspension since suspended players aren’t allowed to watch from the sidelines. The one game he attended was the Tide’s loss to Louisiana-Monroe, and he said the fans who approached him at the stadium were supportive.
Coffee didn’t want to deal with the attention, and stayed home.
“I wasn’t fixing to go watch the game and have to answer all those questions,” he said. “I just watched it on TV.”
For Coffee, the suspension coincided with another notable event in his life. He was suspended the day before the Tennessee game and baptized the day after.
“People were asking me, you got in trouble and you got baptized around the same time,” he said. “But I wasn’t trying to do anything. I was trying to help out friends. There wasn’t any money involved.”
His faith helped him through the difficult time though.
“God comes before all that,” Coffee said. “My relationship with him is so powerful, I’m going to be all right. I’m going to take my punishment if I make a mistake. You’ve always got to stay humble and believe in the man up above, and you’ll be all right.”
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Comments » 20
chrisw2967 writes:
they didnt know they were text books , they thought they were coloring books. next year there going to learn how to read...dumb idiots
tigervol9802 writes:
If he was baptized the day after, odds are he hasn't had that relationship long. The test of growth is if he learns from it.
agentorange writes:
join the 12 fsu guys taking exams online with answers provided by tutors
tigervol9802 writes:
Maybe.
Article doesn't say a lot. If it involves textbooks, wouldn't that be at the beginning of the semester, almost two months earlier? Most "turnarounds" I know of between salvation and baptism are what, a month? If the guy truly was just starting attending church and learning Christian basics and not grown up in it, I can see how it would happen.
Who knows though? A lot of speculating would have to go on to fill in the holes here.
But I see your point and agree with it based on facts presented. Hopefully, he's grown from it and won't make the mistake again.
99gator writes:
they should have attended florida state. you can commit academic fraud and only get a three game suspension there.
blewissmith writes:
Who cares?...next!
FWBVol writes:
I know Glen Coffee and often dealt with him when he was at Fort Walton Beach High. Glen's a good kid, and he admits he made a mistake in judgement even though he knowingly broke a rule with which he disagreed.
Although, as a licensed Baptist preacher, ordained deacon, and son of a Baptist pastor, I could jump in and offer some theological opinion on the actions of all the players, I'll choose to reserve judgement without casting stones.
The one thing I will say is that while the intentions of Cofffee and the others might have been good, imagine what would happen if all 85 football players decided to help a friend or two in the same manner.
And while I'm not going to say that the players are not to blame, it seems to me a university should have some sort of system where the academic people know which classes a kid is taking and there would be a red flag when he got a book for some other class or classes.
TommyJack writes:
Glass houses, etc...let's move on.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Forgive and turn the page. Lets welcome them to Knoxville with a defense next year. I don't believe they killed anyone. Lets not dwell on the outcome of our visit to Tuscaloosa without them. Merry Christmas.
1volk-nowi-tall writes:
Getting text books for others and charging them to your scholarship ride is illegal, just as buying gas on someone else's credit card is illegal. Now these are youngsters and they will do things like this. Most youngsters that I have known (myself included) have made mistakes that range from stealing-yes that is what this is- to drugs, to DUI's to assault. As someone else has said the way they use this mistake to learn to avoid future mistakes is what really matters. Oh let us not forget that youngsters, like even some of us, may have cheated on tests when we were in school as well.....
99gator writes:
tngeoff
it goes a lot deeper than the article indicates. the ncaa may be placing a mobile home on the campus of florida state very soon.
basically, this is an old story from earlier in the year. several players from various sports....only 2 were football players that were said to be involved.
later, a female athlete, upset about her punishment, and knew of many other football players, etc, who received no punishment sued florida state.
now, this week it is being revealed that around 20 football players were involved and who knows how many other athletes.
so, the question is when did fsu know....why did it take all season to come up with the other athletes involved (some of whom are senior or jr's who are leaving for the nfl anyway). did fsu try to cover it up, etc.
fsu made a self imposed penalty in september or august and is trying to do it again now. i don't think the ncaa will accept it without conduting its own investigation.
needless to say, within the state (and for me this is always true), it's great to be a gator.
jim_bell#606576 writes:
First of all, GOD is not a man. GOD is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Jn.4:24.(2) Salvation does not precede baptism. On the day of Pentecost Peter told those who ask what they must do after he had convinced them of the death of Jesus.Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ FOR the remission of sins.Acts 2:37,38. What were they baptized for? The remission of sins. Does salvation come before one's sins are forgiven or washed away ? Paul gives the account of his conversion in Acts 22:16 when Ananias said to him,(see Acts 9) And now why tarriest thou ? Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Same question. Was Paul in a saved condition in his sins. Without remission of sins there's no salvation.
99gator writes:
tngeoff
to clarify the "three game suspension" statement. it is being reported that those football players involved, who are returning next season, will be suspended for the first 3 games of 2008 in addition to this year's bowl game.
99gator writes:
tngeoff
your brother is not nicksjuzunk is he?
philfan writes:
Alabama is always flirting with sanctions from the NCAA. First free textbooks, then who knows what. Be thankful we have an honest coach who is on the lookout for anything that is dishonest or looks dishonest. Nothing at Alabama would surprise me. The boosters are in charge of everything there, not the coaches. First among them, I have heard, is the BEAR's son.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
Do you guys have any idea how petty and stupid these comments are making you look????
C'mon, it's not hard to see how these kids could do this.
I really wish the Bama-UT rivalry could get back to the good-natured on-the-field kind.
As soon ss the Vols are all saints, let me know.
SmokeDog72 writes:
Although I have learned much from the deep theological debate that I have seen here, I am still most bewildered at the words "textbook" and "Alabama" being used in the same sentence.
Colliervol writes:
No doubt smokedog. That's a contradiction if I ever saw one.
Mr. Parker- Trust me. It's no more petty than all the phooey that Bama fans were spewing about Fulmer after he turned in Logan Young and the rest of that cheating bunch. I travel down there and have never heard such mess in my life. This is "good-natured" compared to some of the viciousness your people were unleashing.
gohawks1 writes:
After all this time, I'm still amazed that Bama fans blame Fulmer for their woes.
To this day, I have not heard one single Bama fan say something like, "You know, what happened was very irresponsible on the part of those involved, it was illegal, and we should hold ourselves accountable. There is no one to blame for what happened except for our supporters who broke the NCAA rules."
Nope. Never heard anything like that. Instead, all I hear is a bunch of whiners pointing fingers at someone who was man enough to say that something wrong was going on.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
Hey guys,
I doubt anyone will continue posting here but I am in Malaysia.
Tngeoff, sorry to hear about your brother. The gator part any way. He is probably serving in the North right? I have been to Thailand a couple of times.
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