His goals were always lofty and clear. Demetrius DuBose simply wanted to be the best linebacker in the country and leader of the nation`s best defense on the No. 1 team.
Now, all of that is in jeopardy.
The leading tackler from last season and co-captain of Notre Dame is wondering whether he will play at all in his final season because of a cloud cast by admitted NCAA violations involving gifts and favors he received from longtime friends.
If DuBose is forced to sit out, his loss will be a devastating blow to the Irish hopes of garnering a second national championship for Lou Holtz.
A tough, stingy defense was to be the key for the Irish this year and DuBose, one of the preseason favorites for the Butkus Award, was to be its heart and emotional leader. But on Thursday, he was rendered mute by the disclosures that were first made public by the Los Angeles Times.
The newspaper report said DuBose received a $5,000 loan and unspecified gifts from a couple in Seattle, his hometown, who are Notre Dame alumni. The newspaper said that the loan was to be paid back after next year`s NFL draft. After initially refusing to comment on the newspaper report, the athletic department issued a statement from director Dick Rosenthal saying the university investigated the allegations, found violations of NCAA rules and declared DuBose ineligible for play this season.
When Notre Dame notified the NCAA of its findings two weeks ago, it also asked the NCAA to restore DuBose`s eligibility because DuBose ”did not know that the particulars in this case resulted in an NCAA violation,” the statement said.
Specifically, the statement said DuBose received a $600 loan from a couple associated with the university.
David Berst, chief of the NCAA`s enforcement division, refused to comment on the case but noted that NCAA rules prohibit gifts and favors to scholarship athletes from persons who are closely associated with the university such as boosters, recruiters or go-betweens for coaches.
The concept behind the rules is to deny any institution a competitive advantage in luring athletes. That is also one of the criteria the NCAA will use to determine whether DuBose`s ineligibility will stand.
Although Notre Dame declared DuBose ineligible, under NCAA rules he is still allowed to practice with the team. Athletic department officials and Holtz are hoping the NCAA reinstates DuBose in time for the Sept. 5 opener against Northwestern.
In declaring DuBose ineligible after its own investigation, Notre Dame followed standard procedures. Such actions by universities are common and in each edition of the NCAA News, there are several items about schools reporting violations to the NCAA and the ultimate action, if any, taken by the NCAA.
Berst acknowledged the NCAA receives many such reports.
”It`s probably a reach to call everything we do an investigation. We follow up information and conduct preliminary inquiries constantly but many of those things don`t result in violations,” he said.
John Heisler, sports information director, said the university later decided on commenting on the report to clear up the inaccuracies of the loan amount.
Heisler said DuBose knew the couple long before he decided to enroll at Notre Dame. Heisler said he did not know when the loan was made.
It seems that not a season starts for Holtz without controversy and distraction at Notre Dame.
Last year, DuBose and quarterback Rick Mirer were arrested at a raucous off-campus party and although charges of public intoxication were dropped, the distraction lingered for days.
The year before, Holtz and the university were forced to respond to charges by a former player of widespread steroid use on the Irish team. The allegations were never proved.
And the year before that, All-America linebacker Michael Stonebreaker missed the season after being injured and disciplined for an off-campus driving accident involving alcohol.
