banyon
07-27-2006, 05:00 PM
Coker tells Miami players no guns allowed on Hurricanes
http://images.usatoday.com/sports/_photos/2006/07/24/mug-coker.jpg
"I don't really want our players to have firearms," Miami coach Larry Coker said on Monday. "I'd rather they would dial 911 to come and handle those type of problems."
By Kelly Whiteside, USA TODAY
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — In the wake of a shooting incident last week near the Miami (Fla.) campus, Hurricanes coach Larry Coker said he plans to discourage players from owning handguns.
"I don't really want our players to have firearms. I'd rather they would dial 911 to come and handle those type of problems," Coker said at ACC Football Kickoff media days Monday.
Hurricanes reserve safety Willie Cooper was shot in the buttocks outside his home last Friday morning by an unknown person who fled after Cooper's roommate, safety Brandon Meriweather, the Hurricanes' leading tackler last season, returned gunfire. Police said Meriweather used his gun legally because he has a permit for the gun.
"Willie Cooper is fine," Coker said. "He had some superficial wounds and was out of the hospital that day. He worked out the next day."
Coker said he didn't know how much he could enforce a no-gun rule if players own guns legally off campus but said, "Now obviously on campus — you're out of school, you're done. But I really don't want our players to have firearms."
Coker also said he didn't know how many players had firearms and said it wasn't something he planned to find out. "I'm not going to take a head count on firearms, but I'll address it and discourage it, let's put it that way."
Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said he makes his players who own guns for hunting purposes register them with the coaching staff. "We keep 'em," Bowden said Monday. "If they go hunting, they check the guns out. Does that slip by sometime? I don't know. I don't keep up with it that much."
Though Miami was selected by the media Monday as the preseason pick to win the ACC championship game, Coker spent the opening portion of his session answering questions about the shooting incident and about backup linebacker Willie Williams, who was allowed to enroll at Miami two years ago despite having 11 prior arrests. Unhappy with playing time, Williams asked for a release from his scholarship.
"As for right now, I think it's still a little bit up in the air," Coker said. He also said he would consider taking Williams back on the team even though he missed the Hurricanes' voluntary offseason workouts. Finally after a series of questions about Williams, Coker politely pleaded, "Willie Williams is not a factor, guys. He's not a factor. He's a third-team linebacker. Let's talk about the guys who are going to play."
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/acc/2006-07-25-coker_x.htm?POE=SPOISVA
http://images.usatoday.com/sports/_photos/2006/07/24/mug-coker.jpg
"I don't really want our players to have firearms," Miami coach Larry Coker said on Monday. "I'd rather they would dial 911 to come and handle those type of problems."
By Kelly Whiteside, USA TODAY
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — In the wake of a shooting incident last week near the Miami (Fla.) campus, Hurricanes coach Larry Coker said he plans to discourage players from owning handguns.
"I don't really want our players to have firearms. I'd rather they would dial 911 to come and handle those type of problems," Coker said at ACC Football Kickoff media days Monday.
Hurricanes reserve safety Willie Cooper was shot in the buttocks outside his home last Friday morning by an unknown person who fled after Cooper's roommate, safety Brandon Meriweather, the Hurricanes' leading tackler last season, returned gunfire. Police said Meriweather used his gun legally because he has a permit for the gun.
"Willie Cooper is fine," Coker said. "He had some superficial wounds and was out of the hospital that day. He worked out the next day."
Coker said he didn't know how much he could enforce a no-gun rule if players own guns legally off campus but said, "Now obviously on campus — you're out of school, you're done. But I really don't want our players to have firearms."
Coker also said he didn't know how many players had firearms and said it wasn't something he planned to find out. "I'm not going to take a head count on firearms, but I'll address it and discourage it, let's put it that way."
Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said he makes his players who own guns for hunting purposes register them with the coaching staff. "We keep 'em," Bowden said Monday. "If they go hunting, they check the guns out. Does that slip by sometime? I don't know. I don't keep up with it that much."
Though Miami was selected by the media Monday as the preseason pick to win the ACC championship game, Coker spent the opening portion of his session answering questions about the shooting incident and about backup linebacker Willie Williams, who was allowed to enroll at Miami two years ago despite having 11 prior arrests. Unhappy with playing time, Williams asked for a release from his scholarship.
"As for right now, I think it's still a little bit up in the air," Coker said. He also said he would consider taking Williams back on the team even though he missed the Hurricanes' voluntary offseason workouts. Finally after a series of questions about Williams, Coker politely pleaded, "Willie Williams is not a factor, guys. He's not a factor. He's a third-team linebacker. Let's talk about the guys who are going to play."
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/acc/2006-07-25-coker_x.htm?POE=SPOISVA