Third Vol Freshman, Cleared Of Charges, Set To Return Saturday

Janzen Jackson, Third Vol, Will Play This Weekend

Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin spoke to the media today, and announced that star freshman Janzen Jackson, having been cleared of any charges in connection with the armed robbery charges, will play this weekend in Tennessee’s critical game with Kentucky.

From SB Nation’s Rocky Top Talk:

During Lane Kiffin’s weekly media session today, he announced that freshman free safety Janzen Jackson has rejoined team activities as of today, and will play in Saturday’s crucial contest at Kentucky, with both teams fighting for January 1 bowl bids.
[…]

[Kiffin mentioned that] Jackson was cleared of all wrongdoing by the Knoxville Police Department, and re-emphasizing the importance of having high standards and conducting thorough investigations. Jackson missed the Memphis game for failing a drug test, and has missed the Ole Miss and Vanderbilt games during the course of said investigation. But he was a major contributor in the Vols’ first seven games, starting at free safety. The Vols hope Jackson’s return helps a banged up Tennessee defense turn their fortunes back around to the group that was one of the nation’s best in the first seven games of the season. The Vols need him to return to form quickly.

Richardson, Edwards Kicked Off Team Permanently

Two of the Tennessee football players involved in the Great Filling Station Holdup last week have been permanently kicked off the Tennessee football team, according to a press release issued by the Volunteers and their coach Lane Kiffin today.

Michael Edwards and Nu’Keese Richardson are gone permanently from the team per Kiffin, while Janzen Jackson, in the gas station at the time of the robbery, awaits whatever punishment (if any) is coming his way. Per Rocky Top Talk, this is pretty much what everyone imagined would happen pending the investigation and ferreting out of details.

This is no surprise to anybody who’s been following the situation. Neither they nor Janzen Jackson have been involved with any team functions at any level since the incident. The case against Edwards and Richardson was fairly decisive, as they were the two to approach the car. Jackson’s case is far trickier, and the extra time needed for judgment is going to be very important.

I am starting a casual, for-entertainment-only betting pool on what SEC team picks up Richardson first after the smoke clears in his legal case. Early leaders: Houston Nutt at 4/1 and Urban Meyer at 7/1.

Three Players Arrested Won't Play Against Ole Miss

We all probably assumed this, but now it’s official: Tennessee will make the trip to play Ole Miss without the three players who were arrested Thursday morning. Granted, it would be especially hard for Nu’Keese Richardson to travel with the team considering he’s still in jail. From AP:

Tennessee spokeswoman Tiffany Carpenter says the team will travel to Oxford without wide receiver Nu’Keese Richardson, safety Janzen Jackson and defensive back Mike Edwards. The Vols (5-4, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) face the Rebels (6-3, 2-3) on Saturday.

According to sheriff’s officials, Richardson remains in jail in lieu of a $19,500 bond. Edwards posted a $19,500 bond, and Jackson was released on his own recognizance.

Still no world on the possibility of longer suspensions or any other punishment from the school.

Kiffin: 'We're Gathering Information'; Fate Of Arrested Players Undecided

Lane Kiffin spoke to the media about the shocking robbery incident, and explained that he and the Tennessee athletic department are in the process of conducting an investigation into what, exactly, happened that night. From the Chattanooga Times Free Pres:

“We’re gathering all the information in and until then we really have nothing for you,” Mr. Kiffin said after Thursday night’s practice. “The only thing I can give is that Janzen has been released, and we’ll deal with the three situations coming up. But until we have all the information, I can’t comment any further on it.

“We don’t know exactly what happened. Unfortunately there was an incident. We made it 11 months and 11 days without incidents. We’ll deal with the information as it comes in.”

“There’s no nothing right now, because I don’t have all the information in. Once we get all the information in, we’ll make a decision.

“I’m not going to get into all that stuff, guys. That’s it. We’re going to practice. Practice today was really good. I thought the guys performed really well. We’re really focused, and we’ve got to get ready for a big-time game.”

WOO! 11 months and 11 days without an incident. For a major college football program, that may as well be considered a decade… Has it really come to this?

Freshman Janzen Jackson, Tennessee’s starting free safety and one of the more promising players in the entire conference, has been released from jail on bond, and it’s still unclear as to what role, if any, he played in the robbery.

Meanwhile, Mike Edwards, who played a principal role in the alleged robbery, has been released on $19,500 bail, while his teammate and fellow conspirator Nu’Keese Richardson is still being held behind bars. All three players are freshmen, and all three were considered promising, prominent building blocks for Lane Kiffin and the Tennessee program.

Victim: Arrested Players Should Stay On Team

Once more via the indispensable Rocky Top Talk comes this interview with one of the victims from this morning’s alleged attempted robbery. Talking to Knoxville’s WATE 6 News, Corey B. Zickefoose, age 20, said he did not think that the arrested Tennessee players should be kicked off of the football team:

“I think they should still be able to play football, regardless,” he said. “Tennessee is my place. It’s my football team.”

“Even after they put a gun in your face, you say let them play football?” 6 News asked.

“Yeah, it’s Tennessee. That’s the way it is sometimes,” Zickefoose said.

If the players suspected of committing the crime did what has been alleged, their playing days are almost certainly over, but if Mr. Zickefoose is as dedicated to his Vol fandom as the above quote makes him out to be, it is not too late (although decidedly unethical) to recant his positive ID of the suspects.

Probably best just to accept that you can stick a pellet gun in a man’s face, and you can suit up to play football, but you cannot do both.

Video: Tennessee Players Arrested

From WVLT in Knoxville comes exclusive video of the three Tennessee football players getting arrested early Thursday morning.

All doubts of whether or not these are Tennessee football players are erased right around the 4:36 mark.

Janzen Jackson Released From Jail, 'Vehemently Asserts His Innocence'

Janzen Jackson, one of the three players arrested for alleged involvement in an armed robbery early this morning, has been released from jail, "on his own recognizance."

According to Jimmy Hyams of The Sports Animal (via Rocky Top Talk):

Janzen Jackson was inside the store when the events first took place. He also noted that the police found marijuana on two of the men when they were arrested, though it was not specified which two. Much of Jackson's fate now appears tied to his exact placement and role during the robbery attempt, and whether or not he was one of the men who had drugs on him. Jackson served a one game suspension for a failed drug test last week.

Jackson maintains his innocence, and his lawyer, Don Bosch, released this statement: This office represents Janzen Jackson. As of this afternoon his bond has been reduced from $15,000 to being released on his recognizance. Mr. Jackson vehemently asserts his innocence. And we hope that this will become apparent in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Irony, Defined: Location Of Robbery Owned By One Of Tenn's Biggest Boosters

The gas station where the robbery by the three Tennessee players allegedly took place Thursday morning? It’s a Pilot, a chain owned by Jim Haslam, as in the Haslam Practice Field at Tennessee. He’s one, if not the, biggest Tennessee booster and a former player from the Vols 1951 Championship team.

Tennessee Players' Getaway Car: A Prius

This is turning into a textbook case for how to fail miserably at armed robbery.

First, Robinson, Jackson and Edwards (allegedly) used a pellet gun for the stick up, a device which is capable of knocking squirrels of tree limbs and breaking human skin if fired from close enough range; Second, the victims in this case apparently had no money on them, which is shocking considering they were all under 20 years old and quite possibly college students; Third, their getaway car was a green machine:

The victims said they showed the two men their empty wallets and said they had no money. A third man then approached the car and told the other two men in hoodies, “We’ve got to go,” DeBusk said.

The three men got into a 2010 Toyota Prius driven by a woman and fled the area.

Officers stopped the car on Neyland Drive near Leinard Lane after it had been seen near Gibbs Halls.

“COME ON! WE GOT TO GO! PEEL OUT!”

[bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

Although I guess the advantage here is that the Prius makes a low buzzing whisper as it slowly creeps up to speed making it the perfect getaway vehicle had the victims not been within eyesight.

Incident Report Provides Details Of What Allegedly Happened

This is the incident report, coming via SB Nation’s Rocky Top Talk, which will continue to be all over this story today:

“The victims stated that a black male then approached, wearing a black hoodie, brandished a black semi-auto handgun, opened the drivers door and stated, ‘Give me everything you have.’ The victims stated that a black male then exited from the passenger side of the Prius, wearing a black hoodie, walked around to the front passenger door of their car, opened it, and stated, ‘Give us everything you’ve got.’

“The victims stated that they all presented their wallets to the suspects and showed them that they did not have money. The victims stated that a third black male then approached and told the other two black males, “We’ve got to go.” The victims then stated that the three got into the Prius and that it was last seen traveling southbound on Volunteer Blvd West.

" … The victims positively identified Edwards and Richardson as the two who approached their vehicle and demanded everything."

Three Tennessee Football Players Arrested For Armed Robbery

Three University of Tennessee football players were arrested for armed robbery early Thursday morning in Knoxville.

Starting cornerback Janzen Jackson, wide receiver Nu'Keese Richardson, and DB Michael Edwards allegedly attempted to rob three people in the parking lot of a Pilot convenience store at around 2 a.m. Thursday morning with a pellet gun, according to VolunteerTV.com. Details are sketchy at the moment, but a source tells us that the three were wearing at least some of their official Adidas gear during the robbery.

More to come ...