E.J. Abrams-Ward and Ramone Johnson are no longer members of Tennessee’s football team. UT said Thursday that the two were dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons.
Abrams-Ward, a receiver from Thomasville, N.C., redshirted last season after selecting UT over North Carolina in a heated recruiting battle.
Johnson, who is from Chicago, played in six games last season as a backup offensive lineman and tight end in short-yardage situations.
Johnson was suspended during the season for a lack of academic effort and a violation of team rules.
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Comments » 96
rockytop#413695 writes:
Well, did they give the reasons for this?
drum45 writes:
first
easleychuck writes:
As I mentioned on the recruitment article about the 2 kids from Memphis earlier today, I hate to think how much concern I burned during the Abrams-Ward recruitment saga 2 years ago. For absolutely, not return on the investment.
SemperVol writes:
Weed 'em out, coach. Hmmm.. poor choice of words on my part.
I like the "lack of academic effort" part.... I got my ____ whooped from my dad when I would try that....(fill in the blank)
jimr07 writes:
s**t happens
rockytop#413695 writes:
No, and one reason I commented so quickly is to keep some lame person from saying that. Post content and opinions please. I don't have time to go through all this dribble to get to the info about the Vols.
Wish KNS's "sources" would give info as to why they were dismissed. I assume academics, but does anyone have a clue?
uahvol75 writes:
whoa..
tngivem6 writes:
sounds like more room for some top flight WRS to me..
tngivem6 writes:
Coach Kiff not playing around..finally some discipline..
lay the wood to 'em , coach!!!
caskew#218608 writes:
weed
yeavols#228407 writes:
Ahh..2 more sholarships open up..I assume..Good we need players who want to play and make us proud. We don't need any slackers who aren't going to produce. Ship up or SHIP OUT! This should send a resounding message to the team. You want to play? The pay the dues. Only serious should apply!
99gator writes:
wonder what they did.
one thing, among others, that kiffin has going for him is no one can be safe from the whip and no one's spot in the starting lineup can be safe (except eric berry)
the team has not been successful and no move made by the staff will be questioned.
these players better understand that what happens from this point forward must be earned and that no one is good enough to do dumb things and escape the wrath of the staff.
easleychuck writes:
Obviously, that should have been "no" return on the investment.
Following up, 2 scholarships are opened up by these 2 dismissals. I know there is a limit on the total number of kids receiving aid. But is there a limit each recruiting period on how many can be signed and eventually awarded scholarships after all of the qualifications are determined?
One other shoe that will eventually drop, most likely next season, will be kids who are encouraged to not return for the 2010 fall season after the new coaches see what they are capable of during the 2009 season. That will most likely open up even more spots.
I know that this a tricky path to not automatically renew the grants each year (schools can use that against you in recruiting) but I do expect a new staff to "run" some fellows off next season.
hotrodvol writes:
That's right!!!
jobrando#216494 writes:
Trim out the weeds...Coach Kif
HtownVol writes:
Well, we sure need Stokes to stay and we have to get more WRs in this class ( P.Patterson, M. Brown) WR is our biggest need. I was hoping Ward would be a good player. Never know now. I sure hope we pull in some big time WRs this year!
Redbone writes:
Don't want to come off as grammer police but more as "you got to get the sayings right". It's shape up or be shipped out.
HtownVol writes:
If you dont want.. F'n dont. I hate that shart. Post about the topic, not 1st or "You spelled your name wrong" STOP IT!
Come on Patterson and Brown. UT needs you 2! You also Stokes! The 3 of you will do great things at UT for the next few years!
CheckerboardPhilosopher writes:
It's OK guys. We have the Lanefather
http://3rdsaturdayinblogtober.wordpre...
bobbytodd writes:
I'm glad you don't want to come off that way because your sentence is fairly poor itself.
txsvol#372416 writes:
UT football players, there's a new sheriff in town! SAVol
stinky_pinky writes:
i suppose we have two more scholarships to give away...
bobbytodd writes:
It's OK guys. We have the Lanefather
http://3rdsaturdayinblogtober.wordpre...
Is that one of the pictures from scooby doo with the eyes that follow you around the room..lol
pabashia#208095 writes:
Weed, Weed, Weed. They were booted for GANJA.
stinky_pinky writes:
grammar not grammer....
wow
NeylandWest writes:
Wow. You're first. Oh my God, what an incredible feeling that must be for you! Go on, go on. Embrace it. Roll around in it like a pig in sunshine.
Wait.
What was that? You weren't first? Oh snap.
Get a life.
yabadabadoo1026 writes:
takes a real idiot to screw up something so juvenile
SemperVol writes:
Ward and Johnson must've awoken to a severed horse head in their dorm room beds....
chrisw2967 writes:
ole phil would given ramone at least 4 more chances.
we have needed someone that wont put up with the phooey that fulmer was letting most of these players get by with.
VolGraduate writes:
so you are the first to reply to the guy who said "first". What does that make you?
I say all signs point to you smelling like cabbage
VolGraduate writes:
if you're stupid enough to smoke weed on scholarship then you better be smart enough to get away with it...
smowkee (Inactive) writes:
lol. Too many people on this list throw rocks from their glass houses.
iwastherein98 writes:
I'm pretty sure I saw you partake when we were in school. Glass houses and all. You, however, weren't on scholarship.
DennisVols writes:
Kiffin showing that there is a new coach and the lack of discipline is no longer in effect.
Way to go coach, draw the line and stick to it.
NeylandWest writes:
Actually, Mr. Graduate, I'm not the first to comment on this idiot. Maybe you should research a little bit more before you're so quick to respond.
BigT_Chief writes:
I think we wait till after signing day and see who we get.
iwastherein98 writes:
Commenting on the person who wrote first is just as bad as the person who wrote it. IMHO.
Waldorf writes:
Wow, Foolmore would have given each of them at least 3 more chances, 4 more if he thought they would be a starter, and 5 is their daddy was someone important.
Good job by Coach Kiffin. I said at the beginning 6-8 guys would not be back next year. 2 down, how many more to go? This ain't the Foolmore Country Club anymore!
NeylandWest writes:
Your rationalization suggests that you're just as bad as me, then. Correct?
GreenDevilVol writes:
99,All good points. I hope that the SEC is taking notice of this, a discipline approach is good and this can only bring out the best in whom we have.I do feel for Abrams-Ward,I seen this kid play,and he is a play maker type.
asleep#212036 writes:
You are absolutely right, Gator! When you are not successful, any and every deviation from the prior path will at least be tolerated, if not welcomed. I don't know why these kids were dismissed but it doesn't matter - Kiffin's new policy will be "meet expectations or hit the road". Although I hate to see any kid kicked off, once you are given a scholarship to an SEC school, you have won the game - as long as you play the game. If these two won't play by Kiffin's rules, then good bye and good riddance. Just clears up some scholly's and PT for the coaches to pitch on the recruiting trail.
tenncorncob writes:
I think, "rammer, jammer, yellow hammer, go to HELL alabammer!!!!!!!!!!!
asleep#212036 writes:
Dude, it wasn't even on the stove!
CheckerboardPhilosopher writes:
Kiffin's start is much like Saban's.
http://3rdsaturdayinblogtober.wordpre...
Colliervol writes:
Somebody on here said a few weeks ago that a significant clean-out of bad actors was coming but I didn't pay much attention. It appears it has started.
yeavols#228407 writes:
Thanks Red..you are right..didn't even notice..Also I made a blunder on the last sentence..well you know what I mean..
iwastherein98 writes:
Absolutely. This stuff has to stop though. It's beyond annoying.
tn_vol_67 writes:
Way to go COACH !!
richvol writes:
Kiffin told these boys in his first meeting that they had ONE...ONE chance with him. I am pleased to no end to see him mean it.
These type of players,no matter how gifted,are a cancer to a team. They are selfish and don't give a darn about the well being of the team. If they did they would not turn their nose up at the rules and we would be winning. Success takes sacifice and these guys that won't give up drugs or even go to class for the sake of bettering the team and themselves are not the type of young men we need.
I realize these are kids but when the coach says that you are one and done with him then it's just plain stupid to test him. If there is any more of these slackers around I hope Kiffin gets them.
TommyJack writes:
Interlopers need to be shipped out.
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