GreatAppSt
July 12th, 2005, 04:16 PM
July 09, 2005
Laws bolts Army for Appalachian State
By Justin Rodriguez
Times Herald-Record
[email protected]
Quarterback Chase Laws is the second high-profile Army football player to leave the team in five months because of his unwillingness to serve a five-year military commitment after graduation.
Army coach Bobby Ross can live with that. But Ross is unhappy with the way Laws handled the matter.
"I'm a little upset because this was going on for a while," Ross said of Laws, slated to be second on the depth chart behind senior Zac Dahman when Army opens practice on Aug. 5. "(Laws) had been talking to other schools. If we would have known this going into the spring, we could have gotten (David) Pevoto more reps (at quarterback). That would have helped him."
Ross said that Laws was granted his release from West Point last month and confirmed that he departed "because he felt reluctant to go into the Army."
Laws did not return several phone calls seeking comment. His mother, Wanda, said last night that her son is transferring to Division I-AA Appalachian State in Boone, N.C.
Because Appalachian State is a I-AA school, Laws doesn't have to sit out a year, but could opt to be red-shirted. Appalachian State returns one of the best I-AA quarterbacks in the nation – senior Richie Williams, who passed for 3,109 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. Laws would have been a junior at West Point this fall. Cadets who attend their first class as a junior and leave prematurely generally must return tuition – about $200,000 – or serve active duty. If cadets leave before their junior year, they have no obligation to the Army.
The departure of Laws leaves Pevoto, a highly regarded sophomore, No. 2 behind Dahman, followed by senior Connor Crehan. Laws gave Dahman a run for his job during the spring and intrigued many Army fans because of his ability to run the option. Laws outplayed Dahman during the Black/Gold spring game, but Ross said he often was inconsistent.
Like Laws, standout fullback Tielor Robinson left the Academy after completing the spring semester, saying the military lifestyle wasn't for him. Robinson, who would have been a junior this year, is transferring to Duke.
"I'm disappointed because you come here and get two years free education," Ross said. "In Robinson's case three, because he went to the prep school. I know they aren't breaking any rules, but I don't like it at all. Things happen.
Laws bolts Army for Appalachian State
By Justin Rodriguez
Times Herald-Record
[email protected]
Quarterback Chase Laws is the second high-profile Army football player to leave the team in five months because of his unwillingness to serve a five-year military commitment after graduation.
Army coach Bobby Ross can live with that. But Ross is unhappy with the way Laws handled the matter.
"I'm a little upset because this was going on for a while," Ross said of Laws, slated to be second on the depth chart behind senior Zac Dahman when Army opens practice on Aug. 5. "(Laws) had been talking to other schools. If we would have known this going into the spring, we could have gotten (David) Pevoto more reps (at quarterback). That would have helped him."
Ross said that Laws was granted his release from West Point last month and confirmed that he departed "because he felt reluctant to go into the Army."
Laws did not return several phone calls seeking comment. His mother, Wanda, said last night that her son is transferring to Division I-AA Appalachian State in Boone, N.C.
Because Appalachian State is a I-AA school, Laws doesn't have to sit out a year, but could opt to be red-shirted. Appalachian State returns one of the best I-AA quarterbacks in the nation – senior Richie Williams, who passed for 3,109 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. Laws would have been a junior at West Point this fall. Cadets who attend their first class as a junior and leave prematurely generally must return tuition – about $200,000 – or serve active duty. If cadets leave before their junior year, they have no obligation to the Army.
The departure of Laws leaves Pevoto, a highly regarded sophomore, No. 2 behind Dahman, followed by senior Connor Crehan. Laws gave Dahman a run for his job during the spring and intrigued many Army fans because of his ability to run the option. Laws outplayed Dahman during the Black/Gold spring game, but Ross said he often was inconsistent.
Like Laws, standout fullback Tielor Robinson left the Academy after completing the spring semester, saying the military lifestyle wasn't for him. Robinson, who would have been a junior this year, is transferring to Duke.
"I'm disappointed because you come here and get two years free education," Ross said. "In Robinson's case three, because he went to the prep school. I know they aren't breaking any rules, but I don't like it at all. Things happen.