CU report: Linebacker dismissed

By B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 18, 2008 at 10:10 p.m.

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Sophomore linebacker Nate Vaiomounga, who was academically ineligible this season and being redshirted, has been dismissed from the team for violating unspecified team rules.

Sophomore linebacker Nate Vaiomounga, who was academically ineligible this season and being redshirted, has been dismissed from the team for violating unspecified team rules.

The school said in a release Vaiomounga's dismissal was not related to the thefts from the team's locker room during Saturday night's game against Oklahoma State.

That investigation is ongoing, but university police confirmed Vaiomounga was arrested Monday on suspicion of theft of less than $500, according to the Boulder Daily Camera.

On Friday, a woman reported her purse was stolen on campus by a man who ran into a nearby building. Vaiomounga later was identified by video surveillance and other means.

Court records showed Vaiomounga had failed to appear last winter for underage possession and failed to comply with a court order in a criminal mischief case.

Coach Dan Hawkins said in the release: "We have been consistent in showing no tolerance for poor decision making. We constantly tell these young men that once is a mistake, twice is a behavior."

Athletic director Mike Bohn, who must sign off on the dismissal of any student-athlete, said his department remains "vigilant in our efforts to maintain our high standards for the entire institution."

Vaiomounga, of Corona, Calif., played in seven games last season, including the Independence Bowl.

Etc.

* Hawkins said Cody Hawkins will start against Nebraska on Nov. 28 in Lincoln. Cody Hawkins started Saturday in the Buffaloes' 30-17 loss against No. 11 Oklahoma State after bringing CU back in the previous game against Iowa State. Dan Hawkins said there was "a chance" freshman Tyler Hansen would play against the Cornhuskers.

* The Buffs' safety situation remains unclear. "I don't know," was Dan Hawkins' assessment Tuesday. Seniors D.J. Dykes (undisclosed illness) and Ryan Walters (high ankle sprain, knee) saw limited or no action against the Cowboys and were replaced by Patrick Mahnke and Anthony Perkins.

* Linebacker Michael Sipili remains "out of the loop" because of issues unrelated to the back spasms that sidelined him earlier. "We're trying to get him to focus," Dan Hawkins said without elaborating.

* Dan Hawkins called Saturday's CU locker room thefts "a bummer. . . . You've got 573 people rolling through there. It's not the first or last time" such an incident will happen.

• November 18, 2008

  10:52 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  DenverGold writes:

  Maybe next year things will turn around for the CU football team. I would hope everyone who is injured heals by then. And, those who were ineligible...they should realize how bad the season has been and believe that getting on the team academically will be a big help. Coach Hawkins is walking a tightrope...another lossing season against ranked teams will not bode well. Things have to turn around at CU or some people will be facing the door and walking thru it against their wishes or because they've had enough of a crumbling football program. Talk about the possibilities is cheap...ACTIONS speak louder than words.

• November 19, 2008

  9:35 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  skyhigh7 writes:

  It's funny how similar CU and Alabama are. The both played a tight game last year in the Independence Bowl. Both signed a 5 star recruit. Both played a lot of young guys last year. The only difference is that Alabama is undefeated and no.1 in the country wilt a no nonsense coach. CU can't seem to clinch a bowl birth yet, with a coach who blames everything on how young they are with 8 seniors starting on defense. Maybe instead of pampering these kids and excusing them for everything, he should take a page out of Saban's book and kick them in the backside.

• November 19, 2008

  1:46 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  atlhusker writes:

  Skyhigh7, you must be on drugs. CU and Bama' similar?? Let me give you a clue, Alburn no longer gets the best instate recruits. The state of Alabama has always had it share of good recruits, so it wasn't that hard for Satan to get them away from Alburn. Colorado, like Nebraska has to go outside the state, coast to coast to get top players. Less the half of the 5 star recruits in any program ever pan out for different reasons. Give Dan a break, he'll get things going again, or CU can go on an 8 year fishing trip trying to get the right coach.

• November 19, 2008

  4:56 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  FRN4U writes:

  talented young dude. give him a break.

• November 20, 2008

  7:05 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Denver7 writes:

  I think Colorado is another 3 or 4 years away from turning it around. You won't really see what Hawkins can do until he's playing with someone elses kid full time at quarterback.

• November 20, 2008

  10:37 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  skyhigh7 writes:

  atlhusker, give Dan a break? That's the problem, he's giving everyone a break. Let's not go too far incomparing Nebraska and CU. By the way who's ALBURN?

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