Former Buff Recruit Diante Jackson Ruled Ineligible for 2011 Season at Oregon

by Bob_Bell on Jun 17, 2010 4:51 PM MDT in Buffaloes Football Season

According to Addicted to Quack via the University of Oregon Ducks twitter, former 2009 Colorado recruit WR Diante Jackson and WR Tyrece Gains have been ruled ineligible:

Tyrece Gaines & Diante Jackson declared ineligible for 2010 for not meeting academic standards says Chip Kelly

According to ESPN, both are not expected to return to the program which potentially turns an area of strength for the Ducks to an area of weakness. Addicted to Quack thinks the Ducks are still solid for the 2010 season but after that, they have some concerns:

Gaines and Jackson were supposed to be the saviors of the WR corp during the 2009 recruiting class, when fans were clammoring for the Ducks to get some big recruits in that area.

But an area that looks to be stocked with talent at the beginning of last season is now looking incredibly thin. Over this offseason, the Ducks have lost Jamere Holland and Garrett Embry for good, and Gaines and Jackson for at least the 2010 season.

The starters are set fairly well for the 2010 season, led by seniors Jeff Maehl and D.J. Davis and Junior Lavasier Tunei, but after that, the Ducks are looking at a whole lot of untested and unheralded players. Walk-on Justin Hoffman, who has really stepped up during the last two seasons and worked his way into the two-deep, will need to continue his development, as will redshirt freshmen Blake Cantu and Nick Cole.

Diante was a kid the Ralphie Report was rooting very hard for as he was very kind to the site and even sat down for extended interviews. Hopefully he gets it back together in the classroom this year and resumes his career. He will have a few good years of eligibility left.

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Comments

This is not good

I was actually rooting for him to do well after learning so much about him through this site.
Here is a bit of advice: fellas, go to class! Talk with your tutors/advisors because they’re there for a reason. This shouldn’t be happening and you (I’m sure) were warned about your academic status after every test.
This is the downside of sports, in my mind, that we elevate these young guys to hero status before they have done anything. It a slippery slope for all involved.
Anyway enough of my ranting, I hope that he will learn this lesson and move on to a great career and a diploma. Good luck!

by CleBUFFS on Jun 17, 2010 5:32 PM MDT via mobile reply actions

Not good, but not devastating.

Hey Buffs,

First, I want to welcome you to the Pac! We’ll see you in 2011!

Second, yeah it sucks about losing Diante. We had high hopes for him. There certainly was a lot of talk, particularly by Diante himself that he was going to stretch the field for us… sadly, he would never see a game in a Duck uniform. Best of luck to him wherever he lands.

by Yell-O!!! on Jun 17, 2010 8:00 PM MDT reply actions

hopefully he gets his house in order

I’ll never understand why these guys can’t get their lives together. They have more support and every advantage to succeed in the classroom. I hate to see talent wasted like this.

by NYCskibum on Jun 17, 2010 8:30 PM MDT reply actions

With Masoli gone too, that hurts

Yes, I actually do like cricket. I'm Indian.
"We could have had Jesus on the mound and [the Rockies] still would have gotten hits." -Paul Lo Duca
"I mean come on, you can’t be from Nebraska and go to school at CU, I think they take away your overalls or one of your last remaining teeth for that."
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by Hollidayrain on Jun 17, 2010 11:38 PM MDT reply actions

Best of luck to Diante

It’s not that uncommon for college students’ grades to tank their freshman year. Hopefully he can pull his grades up and get back on the field sometime soon.

by NoVABuff on Jun 18, 2010 7:51 PM MDT reply actions