Colonials Corner

Sophomore James O'Quinn ruled academically ineligible, may not return to Colonials. Photo courtesy of rmucolonials.com

After months of speculation and a wide variety of rumors, James O’Quinn is officially off the Robert Morris football team for the 2009 season, and he may not be returning.

The Kiski Area graduate was ruled academically ineligible at the end of the spring semester and will not be available for this season. There remains some question whether he will return to the program once he adjusts his academic record.

Recruited by multiple Division I teams, O’Quinn was suspended twice by his high school and saw his recruiting stock drop to the point where the Colonials became a viable option. Robert Morris recognized O’Quinn’s past but the coaching staff expressed hope in being able to help O’Quinn learn from his mistakes.

Inquiries earlier this summer into his status as a student were denied by Dean of Students John Michalenko, and O’Quinn is not listed in the student directory, although it should be noted that any student has the capability to remove his/her name from the directory if they wish. O’Quinn is not listed in the official media guide released yesterday by the sports information department, although his name will remain on the roster on the website for now.

With O’Quinn unavailable, the pressure increases for junior TJ Green and sophomore Anthony Coleman to become viable receiving targets alongside Sherrod Evers for whoever ends up taking the snaps under center. Green improved steadily at the end of last year, while Coleman is still in the process of transitioning from defensive back. Diminuitive wide receivers Michael Blanchard, DJ Zalewski, and Troy Besterci will also likely be given shots at taking O’Quinn’s snaps, while 6’4 sophomore Paul Evans would seem to have a distinct size advantage if he can show some consistency. As far as freshman go, 6’2 Paul Sanchez is likely the most polished receiver coming into the program.

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