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July 21, 2006

Coaching the plagiarist

There's something deeply funny in the naiveté here:

Durham, NC-- Duke quarterback Zack Asack was suspended for the season for plagiarism. Asack started six of the last seven games for Duke last season. He was the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Duke in 21 years.

Asack is a sophomore who will be eligible to return to Duke next summer.

I've seen this language in other coverage of the story. The coach suspended this player for plagiarism? And so he'll be gone from Duke till next summer? Uh, doubtful. The coach might have kicked the player off the team for an academic infraction; it does actually happen, especially when coaches are worried that if they don't, the NCAA will get 'em. But last time I checked, coaches don't have the power to dismiss players from the institution. Last time I checked, the power to bounce players or any other students from the institution for plagiarism rests with a dean or academic committee. The apparent confusion in this story between one's status on the team and one's status in the institution is sad and hilarious.

Posted by senioritis at July 21, 2006 07:01 AM

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