The news was startling when I first heard of it around 9:30 this morning that NDSU had dismissed senior linebacker Brandon Jemison for a unspecified violation of team rules. Fargo Police say they are investigating Jemison and can’t comment any further. Either way, it’s a tough way to end what was a promising career for the Fargo South product, who was as a highly touted recruit as NDSU has landed in recent years, Jemison was one of the best players in North Dakota in 2008, and after injuries found himself thrust into the starting lineup in 2009. He continued to develop in 2010, starting all 14 games for NDSU, finishing 2nd on the team in tackles. Jemison had his first hip procedure done in March of 2011 and missed all of spring football, he returned for fall camp, but there was a noticeable difference in his speed, he was replaced in the starting lineup by Week 7 by Travis Beck. Jemison continued to make some great tackles on special teams, and could tell his presence on the sidelines was valued by his teammates. The highlight of his 2011 season was the fantastic tackle he made on Dominique Swope on 4th and goal in the 4th quarter of the Georgia Southern game, NDSU led 20-7 at that point and swung the momentum back to the Bison. Jemison had another procedure done on his other hip, but you could tell thru the first few practices, he was not close to his former self. Bohl told the media last Friday that Jemison’s hip put him in a position that he couldn’t play every down and re-iterated today that his reps had been decreasing by the practice. Now this chapter closes what was a wild career. Disappointing end to a guy filled with talent. The question now becomes, where does NDSU go from here at linebacker?
STARTERS: Grant Olson (Junior); Carlton Littlejohn (Sophomore); Travis Beck (Sophomore)
BACKUPS: DeShawn Dinwiddie (Sophomore); Alex LaVoy (Redshirt Freshman)
RETURNERS: Nick Scoliere (Redshirt Freshman); Joey Sonnenfeld (Redshirt Freshman)
NEWCOMERS: Jacob Davis; Matt Larson; Codee Lee; Zach Riopelle; MJ Stumpf
TRANSFER: Antonio Rodgers
INJURED: Tyler Gefroh; Logan Huska
I’m not convinced NDSU needs to play a true freshman right away at linebacker. DeShawn Dinwiddie had a terrific spring, including a couple of tackles in the spring game that made me sit up and pay attention. Alex LaVoy for those that forgot, led the Spring Game with 7 tackles and also had an interception in the 2nd scrimmage of the spring, he seemed to get better as practice went along. Nick Scoliere has caught the eye of the coaching staff with some raw ability; and Joey Sonnenfeld (who is huge) is making the transition from safety to linebacker, and watching Steve Stanard work with him during the spring, I think he can make it happen. Antonio Rodgers was brought in from a junior college in California to play right away, he’s wearing Preston Evans old number and once he gets healthy this fall camp, we’ll be interested to see how he progresses. If there is one out of the true freshman class that could see the field it would be Jacob Davis, the 6’2, 230 pound backer out of Wichita, who already had a college body arriving at campus. Bohl told me today he didn’t forsee taking any redshirt off the freshmen, but something we’ll keep an eye on.
Gotta love how everyone is downplaying this, like it is no big deal.
Nobody is downplaying it. It is being reported and it is being talked about.
Footballwise with his injuries to his hips it probably isn’t that big of a deal since he couldn’t perform at the high level he once could.
Leadershipwise it hurts. Not only losing a senior from a small class of seniors but in finding out one of the leaders of the team has done something that requires the police to investigate him. Hopefully he didn’t involve any of his teammates in what he was doing.
It sounds like Coach Bohl did the right thing in dismissing him from the team. Coach Bohl has run a very tight ship and if nothing else this tells the remaining team members that you screw up you are gone.
As they say if you stay you will be a champion.
Kicking him off the team isn’t exactley downplaying it . . . what do you want a public hanging?
It isn’t a big deal. Jemison was on the pine for the whole second half of last season and he made one good play all year. Looks like the injures got the best of him.
Poor judgement got the best of him.
Hey Rick, What else are the coaches/team going to do? Either way BJ would have only been a few plays a game player so a younger player now has the chance to take those snaps and BJ can address his personal situation.
Does anyone have any idea what the police are looking at him about?
Its not a good deal to lose Jemison but hes not the same player he was 2 years ago. Injuries slowed him last year when his first hip went bad. Now his other hip is bad and he is noticably slower. Its not his fault but he wasn’t going to start or even be the regular backup. I wish him well.
Off topic, vote for the bison http://promo.espn.go.com/espn/contests/clc/2012/
I agree Gabe after his sophmore year I thought he was as good as Evans. He was bigger, stronger and faster than Evans just not as experienced. The hip situation was sad and the getting booted off the team is very sad.
He would have started the season as a backup and finished as a 3rd stringer. Speed wasn’t even there to be a special teams guy. Nature of the sport. Our underclassmen have rediculous talent. Not a big deal at all.
Do you think that Jamison will transfer to MSUM or a school in the area to finish out his career?
With the Fargo PD investigating him, he should concern himself more with staying out of the slammer than transferring to another school.
Remember Brandon Jemison is a human being and a very good one. His life is not all football he has a future ahead of him. He is a wonderful person and a good student he liked football and he loves school he is trying to make a future for himself and all the negative things you say about him are not helping. what happened to inasent until proven guilty. You are all trying to ruin his life. I have knowen him for a very long time and couldnt find a better kid. pleasant and willing to help others and this is tearing him apart so keep your comments to yourself. you think he would have killed someone. just because he is a football player it is a blowen out story for your paper go catch the people who kill and rape you will be doing something them. from a grand mother who loves this child.