Brandon Davies Pulls Out, Plans to Get Back Into BYU
By Joe Dexter
It was one of the more precarious situations during the 2011 season. When the Cougars of BYU suspended forward Brandon Davies from the team in the stretch run of the season, it was the talk of college basketball. After having consensual sex with his girlfriend while attending the university, Brigham Young officials made it clear that they would stick by traditional standards and not make exception for a college basketball star. While the BYU Honor code specifically states that you cannot drink tea, coffee, or alcohol, it also demands that students, “live a chaste and virtuous life.” Davies broke that rule by having premarital sex with his girlfriend and his sophomore season was over.
Now after completing his winter semester, the Cougar’s most talented player with Jimmer Fredette graduating to the NBA is pulling out of the university. Just to stick himself back into the fold.
Oh Boy.
Despite withdrawing from the school on Thursday, Davies plans to re-enroll at the school in time for next basketball season. According to the university, Davies is doing his best to meet conditions laid out by the university to get back on the court and in the classroom next season. Despite being suspended, Davies remained committed to his team last season. There wasn’t a game you couldn’t find Davies suited up and on the bench. Despite having a chance to move on elsewhere, it looks like Davies has made his play to stay put. Here’s what he had to say through a university released statement.
There’s a pretty long list of people that I’d like to thank who are helping me through this difficult time. It’s been very hard emotionally, but thanks to the love and support of many, I’ll be able to get through it. There’s a plan in place, and I intend to follow through and return to BYU in the fall. I’m looking forward to coming back to school to continue my education and getting back on the court.
From rivals.yahoo.com (share this quote)
Now the question remains, why try and help out Davies now? With Fredette and fellow senior Jackson Emery graduating, and former offensive coach Dave Rice heading to UNLV, it seems that the Cougars are desperate for talent that can help them win down the stretch. BYU will not play out of the Mountain West conference next season, but are making the move to the WCC – where teams like Gonzaga, St. Marys and Santa Clara await. It’s not going to be pretty for BYU if they can’t bring back any type of true up and coming talent. Freshman small forward Kyle Collinsworth is off to serve his two year mission with the university.
That’s where Brandon Davies fits in.
Instead of sticking by university decision and encouraging Davies to move on, the university plans to use him because they need him. Some would call that a double standard. If this were a criminal offense Davies committed, or some action that affects the life of others, then there would be some major heat on the university for trying to make this move.
Instead, their “rehabilitation process” to making the forward a better person is an answer to remaining competitive when the university needs talent more than ever to remain competitive. But when all Brandon Davies wanted was to compete for a national championship, his actions were deemed of the devil.
There are already to many double standards in the current state of college athletics. Davies and every student that enrolls into Brigham Young University knows the rules and ropes that you need to balance on. But if the university wants to make you the lead act in the circus, those rules go out the window.
An Honor code for students doesn’t stand tall in front of administration that hopes to display a respectable product on the court or gridiron.
Joe Dexter also covers Ohio State and the Big Ten Conference for the FanSided Network. Read his Buckeyes coverage at Scarlet and Game and follow him on Twitter.