2008 Woodie Awards
Football player arrested second time
Amanda Woods
Issue date: 11/8/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Offensive lineman Robbie Elliott was arrested by Hamilton County Police Nov. 1 due to an outstanding warrant related to a domestic abuse incident last spring.
The UTC football player completed his assigned community service but failed to file paperwork on time, police reports said.
Hamilton County Police would not comment on the events of last spring since it was an ongoing case.
According to Chuck Cantrell, assistant vice chancellor university relations, Elliott has not been playing this season due to academic ineligibility.
"Any athlete that fails to make progress is not going to play," Cantrell said.
After his university suspension last spring, Elliott was unable to complete the required number of hours to play this semester as stated in the NCAA guidelines, Rick Hart, director of athletics, said.
"We're glad Robbie's back in school," Hart said. "We're supportive of his efforts to graduate."
Hart said the athletic department did not discipline Elliott, but let the university take action.
"Like all college students, people make mistakes. They are put in the position to make a choice," Hart said. "At the end of the day, they are held accountable for their actions."
Rodney Allison, head football coach said, "Robbie was a part of the team. He still is a part of the team."
"I'd rather lose games than have guys not acting like they should," Allison said. "They need to learn to be men."
According to Hart, the athletic department offers proactive education for the athletes, including guest speakers and seminars on social issues.
"[We're] aware of the fact that the football team is held to a higher standard in has more visibility at the university," Hart said.
The seminars include the man issue, religious topics, date rape and alcohol abuse with guest speakers such as Brett Favre and Tony Dungy.
"Everytime someone comes to this campus, I get them to come talk to the team to have a positive influence," Allison said.
"We are trying to encourage student athletes, with an emphasis on student," Allison said.
Along with seminars, the football staff is also implementing mandatory class attendance for all players, Allison said.
According to Allison, coaches have stood outside 2,600 classrooms this semester to make sure players are attending class on time or at all.
If a player is late or misses a class, he is considered absent and must run laps at 5:30 a.m., Allison said.
"I don't see anyone else keeping track of other students going to class or not," he said.
Within the course of the semester, there have been only ten absences, Allison said. Allison said he is also encouraging academic progress by setting higher standards of a 3.0 GPA or better.
As of next semester, he said he expects 40 out of 70 team members to accomplish this goal.
Allison said he is in full support of his team and his high expectations of them.
The UTC football player completed his assigned community service but failed to file paperwork on time, police reports said.
Hamilton County Police would not comment on the events of last spring since it was an ongoing case.
According to Chuck Cantrell, assistant vice chancellor university relations, Elliott has not been playing this season due to academic ineligibility.
"Any athlete that fails to make progress is not going to play," Cantrell said.
After his university suspension last spring, Elliott was unable to complete the required number of hours to play this semester as stated in the NCAA guidelines, Rick Hart, director of athletics, said.
"We're glad Robbie's back in school," Hart said. "We're supportive of his efforts to graduate."
Hart said the athletic department did not discipline Elliott, but let the university take action.
"Like all college students, people make mistakes. They are put in the position to make a choice," Hart said. "At the end of the day, they are held accountable for their actions."
Rodney Allison, head football coach said, "Robbie was a part of the team. He still is a part of the team."
"I'd rather lose games than have guys not acting like they should," Allison said. "They need to learn to be men."
According to Hart, the athletic department offers proactive education for the athletes, including guest speakers and seminars on social issues.
"[We're] aware of the fact that the football team is held to a higher standard in has more visibility at the university," Hart said.
The seminars include the man issue, religious topics, date rape and alcohol abuse with guest speakers such as Brett Favre and Tony Dungy.
"Everytime someone comes to this campus, I get them to come talk to the team to have a positive influence," Allison said.
"We are trying to encourage student athletes, with an emphasis on student," Allison said.
Along with seminars, the football staff is also implementing mandatory class attendance for all players, Allison said.
According to Allison, coaches have stood outside 2,600 classrooms this semester to make sure players are attending class on time or at all.
If a player is late or misses a class, he is considered absent and must run laps at 5:30 a.m., Allison said.
"I don't see anyone else keeping track of other students going to class or not," he said.
Within the course of the semester, there have been only ten absences, Allison said. Allison said he is also encouraging academic progress by setting higher standards of a 3.0 GPA or better.
As of next semester, he said he expects 40 out of 70 team members to accomplish this goal.
Allison said he is in full support of his team and his high expectations of them.
