Illinois State head football coach Denver Johnson announced today that Aveion Cason has failed to meet the necessary requirements for academic eligibility under NCAA and university rules. For that reason, the senior running back will not be allowed to participate in the upcoming season.
New issues have come to our attention over the past 48 hours and it is now obvious that Aveion has fallen short in his attempt to regain his academic eligibility, Johnson said.
Johnson withheld Cason, a native of St. Petersburg, Fla., from Tuesdays practice after he learned of the problem.
A number of the early indicators regarding Aveions eligibility were very good and that was why we allowed him to practice, Johnson said. Once this most recent information came to light, it changed the situation dramatically. We immediately took the action that we felt was appropriate. We have a system of checks and balances in place for situations of this nature, and while we are disappointed in the outcome, we are relieved that this discovery was made before an ineligible player was allowed to participate in a game. The system worked.
Matters pertaining to a students academic record are confidential and extremely delicate and there is little that we are permitted to say about the details under federal regulation. We do not have the complete academic record required by the university and the NCAA. The bottom line is that he is not eligible.
I am disappointed for our fans, our team and Aveion, but the rules are rules and we have no other choice but to move forward. Our program has sustained itself through personnel loss before and I have no reason to doubt that it will again. I am anxious for Thursday nights game and our team is, too, despite the timing of this announcement.
Cason, the teams No. 3 ground gainer last season, was expected to start Thursdays game. In 1999, he ranked No. 7 in NCAA I-AA kickoff return average. Johnson said last seasons leading rusher, Walter James, will replace Cason in the starting line-up.
