After serving an eight-game suspension last season for violating team rules, redshirt freshman defensive lineman Junior Lemau’u was dismissed permanently from the UCLA football team on June 22. Coach Karl Dorrell also announced the dismissal of redshirt freshman receiver Antwuan Smith. Both were told of Dorrell’s decision earlier this month. “All of our players are expected to meet certain guidelines to remain in our program,” Dorrell said. “Junior and Antwuan have had several opportunities to meet those guidelines and have failed, so they are no longer part of our program.” With the defense already heavily depleted by graduation and an early exit for the NFL, the departure of Lemau’u is a significant loss for the Bruins. He was figured to back up lineman Kevin Brown this season. Lemau’u rejoined the team in January after his suspension and had a productive spring, but did not fulfill the requirements of his reinstatement. Smith, on the other hand, reportedly was dismissed because he didn’t maintain his academics.
OREGON ON PROBATION: The NCAA announced Wednesday that the University of Oregon would be on a two-year probation for recruiting violations. Oregon assistant coach and UCLA alumnus Gary Campbell tried to lure a junior college transfer to the school last year, during which he committed a “series of impermissible” contacts and gave the recruit a national letter of intent which was forged. Campbell once played fullback for the Bruins. The Ducks, who will play UCLA this season, will still be allowed to participate in postseason play.
HARRIS NOT COMING TO UCLA: According to his lawyer Lou Rubino, reports stating that Colorado defensive end Marques Harris was trying to transfer to UCLA were not completely accurate. While Harris would have liked to entertain the possibility of coming to Westwood, NCAA transfer waivers for a fifth-year seniors are too stringent to allow this, and have caused him to look toward Division I-AA schools instead. If he were to transfer to a Division I school, Harris would have to sit out a year under NCAA transfer guidelines, and thus, would not be able to play since he is a senior. Harris was one of the members of the Colorado football team who were present at an off-campus party in 2001 at which a woman allegedly was raped by recruits. He was suspended for providing alcohol to the recruits in question. Harris was recently indefinitely suspended after violating a separate team rule this April.
NEW ORAL COMMITMENTS: UCLA received a verbal commitment from tight end Adam Heater of Snohomish High School in Washington for the 2005-2006 season. Heater, who is 6-feet, 4-inches and 240 pounds, is rated as one the best tight ends in the West. He has known Karl Dorrell for quite awhile. Heater’s father, Chuck, used to coach with him at Colorado and Washington. “It’s always the school I wanted to go to,” Heater told the L.A. Daily News. “I went down there for the Rose Bowl a few years ago and went and checked out the campus, and I’ve always liked it.”