UM's Shannon: Football players not allowed to own weapons

By Jorge Milian

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Monday, March 05, 2007

CORAL GABLES — Randy Shannon has issued a straightforward warning to his University of Miami football players: Get caught carrying a firearm and your days as a Hurricane are over.

After two shooting incidents involving UM players last year, Shannon plans to enforce a "zero-tolerance" policy regarding weapons.

"You get caught with a firearm, you're dismissed from the football team," UM's coach said Monday.

"They're gone. They know the rules. It's not hard rules. It's to protect them." Asked about his players' constitutional right to own firearms, Shannon said: "I'm thinking about the University of Miami and the kids. When you have a firearm, there's a 50-50 chance that you're going to get hurt. So I said, 'Let's not put ourselves in those situations.' "Make it a 100 percent chance that you're not going to hurt nobody and that nobody is going to get hurt." Last July, UM safety Willie Cooper was shot in the buttocks by an unknown assailant outside his home in South Miami. Teammate Brandon Meriweather, who shared the home with Cooper, pulled a pistol from his pants and fired three times at the gunman, who escaped.

Police determined that Meriweather acted in self defense, and no arrests have been made in the case.

On Nov. 7, UM defensive tackle Bryan Pata was shot and killed at his apartment complex shortly after a Hurricanes practice. Pata, who police say owned several weapons, was shot in the back of the head and the case remains unsolved.

Meriweather, who has completed his collegiate eligibility, understands Shannon's policy.

"Guns don't do nothing but get you in trouble," Meriweather said. "There really is no use for a gun in college. You've got to get rid of them. It's no time for them. If you're a team player, you won't have no problem getting rid of them." The gun ban isn't the only new rule set by Shannon, who opens his first spring practice as head coach this afternoon.

He also has mandated that all freshmen and sophomore players live on campus. Last year, under former coach Larry Coker, only freshmen were required to live in campus housing.

Shannon will not allow juniors and seniors whose grade-point averages fall under 2.5 to live off campus. No exceptions, he said, even for an upperclassmen at 2.4.

"You're on campus. That's your choice," he said. "You chose not to get your GPA the way it's supposed to be. I didn't do it. They put themselves in that situation.

"It's not like you're having to get all A's and B's. It's not very hard to do." No QB decision until fall: Shannon said he will not make an announcement about his starting quarterback - or any other position - until the Tuesday before UM's Sept. 1 season opener against Marshall.

Quarterbacks Kyle Wright and Kirby Freeman, who shared the starting duties last season, will not be permitted to speak with reporters this spring, Shannon said.