By Jordan Dominick || Following a dismal 2010 football season, the last thing Clemson University’s football team needed was a major behavioral issue.
Unfortunately for them, they’ve now got one.
According to multiple police and media reports, track star and redshirt freshman wide receiver Joe Craig was involved in a fight with fellow track athlete Marlena Wesh on May 22. Both athletes were subsequently suspended from the track team.
The two reportedly argued at a pool party prior to the altercation – during which Wesh gashed Craig’s arm with a six-inch razor equipped with a serrated blade. In retaliation, Craig beat Wesh with a metal towel bar.
When authorities arrived, both were bleeding profusely — Craig from his arm and Wesh from her head. In fact, the laceration on Craig’s arm was so severe that one officer reportedly tied a shirt around his arm in order to stop the bleeding.
Although police incident reports classified the fight as an “assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature,” the altercation is now a non-criminal issue as both parties declined to press charges.
While Craig was suspended from the track team almost as soon as the incident occurred, it took until June 7 for Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney to announce that he had been suspended for the football team’s voluntary summer workouts. Craig’s status beyond the summer is unknown at this point, with Swinney saying it will be a “university decision.”
While Clemson has had relatively few behavioral issues in recent years, the ones that come to mind have been disturbingly serious. This is the third incident in the last four years involving a Clemson player that has been classified as assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature.
In 2008, former Tiger safety DeAndre McDaniel was arrested on that charge after his ex-girlfriend claimed he assaulted her at his apartment. McDaniel eventually entered pre-trial intervention to clear his record and never missed a game under former head coach Tommy Bowden.
Last summer, Jamie Cumbie was arrested on an assault charge in which the victim suffered facial lacerations, brain swelling, and a broken nose. Unlike McDaniel’s scenario, Cumbie was dismissed from the football team days later.
In this media saturated world in which we live, it is odd to think something that happened on May 22 wasn’t really picked up until almost two weeks later. News like this usually comes out within the day — if not the hour.
Craig’s suspension from the track team was reported as early as May 25 by The Journal, but went largely unnoticed until days later (though the nature of the clichéd “violation of team rules” explanation was left unrevealed at that point).
It’s no secret that college football is king in this region of the country, so it would make sense that a track athlete being suspended – no matter what for — could fly under the radar while a football player’s offenses are hyped up much more.
That still doesn’t explain why there was such a lag between Crag being suspended from the track team and being suspended for summer football workouts. If it indeed is a “university decision,” one would think that the two suspensions would come within a close timeframe.
Clemson has taken divergent approaches with its last two high-profile assault cases – and the fact that there are no criminal charges at this point obviously doesn’t hurt Craig’s chances.
We’ll keep watching to see how this drama unfolds – but for the moment Craig remains a potent offensive weapon that new coordinator Chad Morris is no doubt eagerly looking forward to employing in 2011.
***
By Big T June 9, 2011 at 5:40 pm
Jordan, you have broached a subject (Clemson Scandal) that FEW in journalism will touch….
There are piles of stories telling us how wonderful the future for Clemson football is…but scant mention of all the Trash that is far more indicative of what Clemson is…
Thank you…Having the courage to take this subject on…when so few will, separates you. Thanks…
I do question this statement “Clemson has had relatively few behavioral issues”…..
There is the Jetski, SLED investigating the Clemson PD, Counterfeiting, Humphries DUIs, Vincent DUI, Duane Coleman, Contact w/ agents, James Davis “Free” Resort stay, CJ Spiller’s strange retention,….etc…
Just because the media does not report much on it, does not mean it does not exist…
There is the Jetski, SLED investigating the Clemson PD, Counterfeiting, Humphries DUIs, Vincent DUIs, Duane Coleman, Contact w/ agents, James Davis “Free” Resort stay, CJ SPiller’s lake house,….etc…
Just because the media does not report much on it, does not mean it does not exist…
By Cush February 2, 2012 at 12:50 pm
BigT you’re so full f shit. It’s pathetic.
By Darth June 10, 2011 at 8:37 am
Do IPTAY still mean I is Pre-Trial Am You?
By JoeSchmoe June 10, 2011 at 9:16 am
Dear Big T – creative imagination does not make your statements fact.
Jordan – There is a simple explanation here but it requires common sense. Check WalMart maybe they have some at the clearance rack.
Track and Field was in the midst of their spring season. The coach had to act quickly before the next meet. Whereas football is in a dead period, Dabo is off doing the booster circuit and recruiting. There was no need on his part to made a rash decision. Plus even you admit that he was in fact defending himself after he was cut. I think the first assailant’s history speaks for itself if you would do a little investigating on her.
By Tee June 10, 2011 at 9:24 am
11 days to even discuss the issue is entirely too long. I could care less where he is in the state and what he is doing, as well as if it is the dead period. Give me a break
By JoeSchmoe June 10, 2011 at 10:05 am
Just because there was no announcement doesn’t mean there was no discussion. There were plenty of discussions. Craig’s high school coach even drove to Clemson to discuss his character. But, nice try.
By Jim Barker June 10, 2011 at 11:14 am
It’s really simple; we at Clemson prefer to live in a world of lies and delusion. For instance, I ranked us as the best college in the nation on my US News & World Report ballot, putting ahead of Harvard, Yale, etc., to the amusement of the nation. Also, our fanbase, although consisting of few alumni, typically thinks that in spite of a 20-year drought in all sports, we are contenders for championships in one of the weakest conferences in all non-laughable sports except basketball.
In an effort to achieve this goal of lofty delusion, we sometimes have to handle certain incidents (numerous mysterious deaths in the area, criminal conduct by student-athletes, etc.) in-house to maintain our sham to the outside world. That’s the way it is here in Camelot!
By CNSYD June 10, 2011 at 11:23 am
BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH …
By Tammy Bowden June 10, 2011 at 11:36 am
cool new fight song you got there
By Tee June 10, 2011 at 1:22 pm
JoeSchmoe, then how do you explain that your own athletic department had stated over a week after the incident that they football program has not taken on this issue yet?
By CNSYD June 10, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Let me take this one JoeSchmoe. Tee, the obvious answer might be that Clemson takes the law into its own hands and handles everything in house, and that if these kids had pressed charges Clemson would have yanked their scholarships as retribution for the embarrassing publicity. Some might say that in spite of these efforts at discretion, the Outside World butted-in and exposed this incident – which never happened, btw . Those people would all be misguided coots, obviously, but because of the hate-generated media over this non-incident, the irreproachable administration is of Clemson is rendered unable to handle this criminal matter internally and is also forced to waste your tax dollars to deal with the fallout.
By JoeSchmoe June 10, 2011 at 2:22 pm
It would help me to respond if Tee and CNSYD could make a coherent post.
By Tee June 10, 2011 at 3:01 pm
If the issue didnt happen then what were they suspended off the track and field team for? On the subject of calling me a “coot” how old are you?
By Tee June 10, 2011 at 3:03 pm
How were tax dollars wasted in suspending a kid?
By Tee June 10, 2011 at 3:07 pm
My question: Was there a police “report” stating that both victim’s were injured in a physical dispute? Yes or no?
By Jeffy01 June 10, 2011 at 4:34 pm
JoeSchmoe, all posters identifying themselves as CNSYD may in fact not be CNSYD.
By Jim Holderman June 10, 2011 at 4:39 pm
Big T, what was the result of the jetski incident and what agency conducted the investigation? What did the alleged SLED investigation of “Clemson PD” turnup? Etc. Better not to get all your “facts” from Gamecock Central.
By JoeSchmoe June 10, 2011 at 7:00 pm
I am still trying to figure out how this is a “scandal”. The kid got cut, got pissed off at his assailant, and was suspended. Uh….where’s the scandal??
By CNSYD June 10, 2011 at 8:26 pm
JoeSchmoe, this is how the media game is played. If a word like “incident” or “matter” were used in lieu of “scandal” then you may not read the article and therefore not comment. By using teaser headlines, FITSNews get more “hits” and thus can demand more revenue from advertisers.
By JoeSchmoe June 10, 2011 at 9:57 pm
Well, thanks CNSYD. This has about as much chance of being a scandal and Folks has bedding Meredith Land.
By MajorC June 11, 2011 at 7:32 pm
What has happened to college football? Basketball, too? You can take this story and paste it over other colleges in Florida, Alabama, Ohio, and etc. On and on and on it goes. It starts in high school. My son was captain of his high school football team and I was involved with him and his teams from JV through Varsity.
You have these “superstar” athletes who are coddled and pampered with no accountability. Coaches today have to be politically correct and they have to let these characters get away with all the antics. Their parents sit in the stands with NFL style jerseys, with their sons name on the back, and brag about the money to come. Yes, some do make it, but the other 90% wash out. Coaches can’t teach character anymore and the parents don’t have a clue what it is anyway. The superstar culture is here to stay and you have these kids with no core values coming up through the system. (and before the PC crowd assails me — my determination is 50 -50 when it comes to race )
Even the USMC has policies in place when it comes to excessive tattoos and officer promotion. Ever wonder why?
By Latti RB June 12, 2011 at 9:01 am
Why is this even being discussed. It’s been proven many times in Clemson that it’s perfectly legal for Clemson men to beat the bloody h-ll out of women. How can we criticize them for something that’s not against their laws? It’s unfair. Slander is what it is.
By Jeffy01 June 12, 2011 at 10:23 am
Sin shitty……you keep blaming me…but I’m not doing it. However it’s clear you are. if you are going to have fun, pick the right person. Sorry bro, I may be immature, I may waste too much time posting on this stupid blog…..but I always post my own handle. By the way…..you have several folks, besides me, on this blog that think you are a fool. So the potential target list is large. Remember I like to sign off with 29-7.
By Jeffy01 June 12, 2011 at 10:26 am
Notice I never make comments on stories like these…both schools have thugs and fools on the team. It’s just that USC thugs and fools have beaten the bitter kitties at ever sport possible in the last 2 years. That’s fun.
A teenager breaking the law while in college….yawn.
29-7
By CNSYD June 12, 2011 at 6:30 pm
Jeffy01, I take you at your word. BTW I don’t think your “2 years” will cover men’s and women’s basketball. Probably was a split.
By Jeffy01 June 12, 2011 at 11:34 pm
Ha…gotta look for anything you can I guess these days.
By Slovekian King June 13, 2011 at 9:40 am
He fights girls??
By ExFan June 14, 2011 at 6:52 am
He will be on the team in the fall… unless his hands are like rocks… football has gotten to the point where you can do whatever you want if you have talent. We all need to take a look at the teams like Utah, Boise State, Stanford. and TCU.. do they have these issues with their players? NOT!!!! Ever wonder why? lol… enough said… and don’t even reply that they don’t play for a national championship.. how many has USC and Klempsun played for… well I will give Klempsun 1 with an asteric next to it…
By Gamecock June 14, 2011 at 9:46 am
This explains how a team with such a crappy season could have a good recruiting year.. HAHA cheaters….
http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/2011/06/pov-the-last-photo-college-football-needs-right-now
By jimlewisowb June 23, 2011 at 8:01 am
test
By jimlewisowb June 23, 2011 at 8:16 am
test 2