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BYU's Dabney leaves school Sophomore had problems with school's honor code
Posted: Tuesday January 18, 2000 01:23 PM
PROVO, Utah (AP) -- Sophomore kick returner Jaron Dabney has withdrawn from Brigham Young University due to alleged violation of the school's honor code. The code at the Mormon church-owned university prohibits crime, drugs, alcohol, non-marital sex and sets other behavior and dress standards. Dabney is the fifth starter in the last year to be expelled, suspended or forced to withdraw because of honor code problems. University officials said Monday that Dabney can apply for readmission -- probably next fall at the earliest -- if he fulfills certain confidential requirements, although it's unclear whether he will do that. He could not be reached for comment. Dabney missed the 1998 season because he was academically ineligible, and he was on Honor Code probation before that because of an arrest for shoplifting as a freshman in 1997. He paid a $400 fine after pleading no contest to stealing a $59 shirt from a store in Orem. Dabney spent the '98 season using his redshirt year while improving his grades at Blinn Junior College in his native Texas, and nearly transferred to Texas A&M. But he returned to BYU, he said, because he had made a commitment to the Cougars. And when he reported to camp last fall, Dabney said his absence was a "big learning experience" and that he had a better grasp of his responsibilities. "God showed me I need to be more responsible and take care of the important things in my life," he said. His performance this past season was up and down. Dabney was outstanding on kickoff returns, averaging 23.6 yards -- just short of the 24.5 yards he averaged when he was named the WAC Mountain Division Freshman of the Year in 1997. On punt returns, Dabney averaged only 5.4 yards. Other starters who have had honor code trouble since last January were: running back Junior Mahe and safety Tyson Smith, who are expected to be back with the team next fall; running back Ronney Jenkins, who transferred and played last season at Northern Arizona before declaring himself eligible for the NFL Draft; and cornerback Heshimu Robertson, who returned to play this past season and completed his eligibility.
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