NCAA rejects Dwight Dasher’s appeal
The NCAA student-athlete reinstatement committee rejected an appeal by Middle Tennessee quarterback Dwight Dasher to have his suspension reduced to three games, so that he could play in this weekend’s match-up against Louisiana-Lafayette.
The NCAA suspended Dasher for four games after he accepted a loan from an elderly gentleman at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital. The loan was to the sum of $1,500 and the NCAA deems that players are not allowed to receive any financial aid while enrolled.
Dasher said he was accepting the money with the intention of paying it back and that it was for his family. Unfortunately, the NCAA followed through with their decisions to suspend Dasher on 27 August 2010.
The university was hoping that because Dasher was not accepting the money as a gift and had the full intention of repaying the gentleman he would be able to get the suspension reduced to three games. However the student-athlete reinstatement committee shot
down the appeal on Friday, upholding the original decision.
The Blue Raiders have struggled without their quarterback, who was named the offensive player of the year last season in the Sun Belt Conference. The club has stumbled to a 1-2 record in the early portion of the season having suffered losses to Minnesota and
Memphis, with their one win coming against Austin Peay in week two.
Middle Tennessee was hoping to get their starter back in time for their conference game this week.
Nevertheless, the Blue Devils are set to get Dasher back in time for a rivalry match-up against Troy in week five and their toughest game of the season against Georgia Tech in week six.
The suspension of Dasher came in the wake of a several suspensions the NCAA handed down to athletes this summer, as the college governing body looks to crack down on improper benefits going to student-athletes.
Tags: