blackfordpu
August 17th, 2012, 08:09 AM
Former LSU star Tyrann Mathieu has checked into a rehab center and will not attend a college or play football this season, Mathieu's father told WVUE-TV in New Orleans on Thursday night.
Mathieu entered the Right Step center in Houston on Monday, and is being mentored by former NBA player and coach John Lucas, Tyrone Mathieu told WVUE.
Tyrann Mathieu was kicked off LSU's team last Friday for what a source told ESPN was a violation of the school's substance-abuse policy. The violation came just months after he won the Bednarik Award as the nation's best defensive player as a sophomore while becoming the first defensive back to be a Heisman finalist since 1997.
He had not announced his plans for this season but had visited with at least one Football Championship Subdivision school.
About 20 programs have asked LSU for permission to speak with Mathieu, but many schools have enrollment deadlines that would prevent Mathieu from playing if he does not transfer this month.
Mathieu, who has two seasons of eligibility remaining, also had expressed interest in enrolling in classes at LSU and hoping for a return to the program in 2013, if it can be worked out with the school, according to sources. Mathieu is also eligible to enter the 2013 NFL draft.
LSU coach Les Miles said he spoke Tuesday with Mathieu and told him "just to make a great decision. Do the right things. He'll do that."
Miles did not say whether Mathieu was at a rehab center.
"I just wanted him to know that we'll support him in whatever he wants to do and help him where we can," Miles said. "At this point in time, he needs to do the things that make him happy and that makes sense for his future. If he does that, we'll all be happy."
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8276879/tyrann-mathieu-rehab-center-not-play-football-2012-report-says
Mathieu entered the Right Step center in Houston on Monday, and is being mentored by former NBA player and coach John Lucas, Tyrone Mathieu told WVUE.
Tyrann Mathieu was kicked off LSU's team last Friday for what a source told ESPN was a violation of the school's substance-abuse policy. The violation came just months after he won the Bednarik Award as the nation's best defensive player as a sophomore while becoming the first defensive back to be a Heisman finalist since 1997.
He had not announced his plans for this season but had visited with at least one Football Championship Subdivision school.
About 20 programs have asked LSU for permission to speak with Mathieu, but many schools have enrollment deadlines that would prevent Mathieu from playing if he does not transfer this month.
Mathieu, who has two seasons of eligibility remaining, also had expressed interest in enrolling in classes at LSU and hoping for a return to the program in 2013, if it can be worked out with the school, according to sources. Mathieu is also eligible to enter the 2013 NFL draft.
LSU coach Les Miles said he spoke Tuesday with Mathieu and told him "just to make a great decision. Do the right things. He'll do that."
Miles did not say whether Mathieu was at a rehab center.
"I just wanted him to know that we'll support him in whatever he wants to do and help him where we can," Miles said. "At this point in time, he needs to do the things that make him happy and that makes sense for his future. If he does that, we'll all be happy."
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8276879/tyrann-mathieu-rehab-center-not-play-football-2012-report-says