Danny Spewak & Kamen Entchev / KCOU News / September 1, 2010
Derrick Washington’s football career at Missouri is over, but the senior running back will stay on scholarship despite facing a felony charge of sexual assault.
Head coach Gary Pinkel permanently suspended Washington from the football program today after he turned himself into police Monday. However, Washington will remain enrolled at MU and will keep his athletic scholarship. KCOU Sports wanted the athletic department to explain the reasoning behind that decision, but calls were never returned.
Pinkel indefinitely suspended Washington last week when allegations of an assault against a former MU tutor in June first surfaced.
Washington is not the only Tiger in trouble these days. Pinkel recently disciplined linebacker Will Ebner and long-snapper Beau Brinkley for DUIs. This summer, police also arrested offensive line coach Bruce Walker for the same offense.
Per team policy, Pinkel refuses to comment on individual situations. However, he did address his team’s overall disciplinary issues at the weekly Big 12 teleconference.
“I’m kind of embarrassed,” Pinkel said. “We worked real hard to build a program that had a very good reputation of being first class and disciplined. We’ve taken a few hits.’’
Washington, a native of Peculiar, Mo., led the Tigers in rushing for the past two seasons.
Filed: 5:58 p.m. Sept. 1, 2010
