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Ducks' Troubles Continue To Mount

Star Players Masoli, James To Appear In Court Friday

POSTED: 7:15 am PST March 11, 2010
UPDATED: 7:33 am PST March 11, 2010

University of Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli became the latest Ducks player to be linked to a crime Wednesday when Lane County's district attorney announced the star player will appear in court to face a burglary charge.

Masoli is scheduled to be arraigned in connection with a theft at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity on Jan. 25. Garrett Embry, a former Ducks wide receiver who was dismissed from the team in January, is also expected to be charged in the case.

Masoli and Embry's court appearance will come just hours after fellow star player LaMichael James is expected to change his plea in a domestic violence case.

James, who set a Pac-10 Conference record for rushing yards by a freshman last fall, originally pleaded not guilty to choking and shoving his girlfriend. He is expected to change his plea to no contest or guilty in connection with the Feb. 15 incident outside a Springfield apartment complex.

  SURVEY
Some of the Ducks' star players, including quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and running back LaMichael James, are accused of being involved in crimes.

Are you concerned about the team's recent run-ins with the law?

The upcoming arraignment and hearing will be the latest of a number of troubling incidents for the Ducks' football program. So far, Oregon coach Chip Kelly has not punished James or Masoli.

"I am carefully considering the latest news concerning Jeremiah Masoli and LaMichael James, and will make a decision regarding disciplinary action on Friday," Kelly said in a statement Wednesday.

Two weeks ago, Kelly appeared on ESPN's nationally televised program "Outside The Lines" to talk about his team's troubles.

"I'm embarrassed. Our football team is embarrassed," Kelly said on the program. "We represent an outstanding university and that's not how we do things here."

Twelve hours after Kelly made those comments, Ducks linebacker Kiko Alonso was stopped in his car in Eugene and cited on a charge of driving under the influence. Kelly suspended Alonso for the 2010 season.

Since then, kicker Rob Beard has been cited on an assault charge for his role in a late-night brawl in January. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and must perform 100 hours of community service and serve one year of probation.

And most recently, 19-year-old linebacker Josh Kaddu was ticketed on a charge of being a minor in possession of alcohol. Kelly has not announced Kaddu's punishment.

Not all of the Ducks' problems have been criminal in nature. Wide receiver Jamere Holland was dismissed from the team Feb. 21 for violating team rules.

While Oregon coaches never confirmed how Holland broke the rules, the punishment was rumored to have stemmed from two public Facebook posts related to Holland's views on Alonso's suspension.

One of the posts said, "How the (expletive) you kick kinko off the team,,, on some weak (expletive), (expletive) always faded he slipped up but ive been slippn up, and I'm still here, that (expletive) weak buff cuh could have done damage for the ducks, that (expletive) is weak, weak (expletive) (expletive), quote me."

Kelly is in his first year as head coach of the Ducks. It is also his first year as a head coach of any college football program.

Ducks' Troubles Continue To Mount

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