Collegiate Times

Luckett isn't the first Hokie football prospect to find himself in difficult legal waters. Marcus Vick was expected by some to return the Hokies to a national championship game, but after years of struggle on and off the field, Vick developed a lengthy legal record. He was suspended several times and eventually kicked off the team entirely.

Vick was convicted on charges of contributing to the delinquency of three underage girls in a January 2004 incident. These charges were later dropped in exchange for an out-of-court settlement in Sept. 2008.

Later, in July 2004, Vick was stopped for driving 88 mph in a 65-mph zone and charged with reckless driving and possession of marijuana. After this incident, Vick was suspended from the team for the fall semester.

Though Vick was removed from suspension by university President Charles Steger, Vick received a stern warning.

"If there is any more trouble, his Virginia Tech career is effectively ended," Steger said in a 2004 press conference.

Though the warning was given before the 2005 season, Vick's legal troubles continued with little university intervention. In a game against West Virginia in October 2005, Vick made an obscene gesture toward a group of fans in Morgantown. The university took no action.

Tech turned a blind eye again in December 2005 when Vick was arrested in Southeast Virginia for speeding and charged with driving on a suspended or revoked license.

Vick was dismissed from the team permanently in January 2006 after he stomped on the calf of Louisville Cardinals lineman Elvis Dumervil in the Hokies' Gator Bowl win.

Perhaps the main difference between Luckett and Vick is accountability. While Luckett acknowledges his mistake and looks to move past it with the team, Vick showed marginal remorse.

"It's not a big deal," Vick told The Virginian-Pilot in 2006. "I'll just move on to the next level, baby."

VARSITY SPORTS PERKS - THE ACADEMIC SIDE

Though the major draws to a football program are largely mirrored around the country, Tech Athletic Director Jim Weaver noted that the Hokies' facilities might be intriguing for Tech's football recruits.Perhaps the most widely recognized benefit for athletes by non-student athletes is access to Merryman Athletic Facility for strength and conditioning."What we try to do is give our young people the best system that we can in terms of support," Weaver said. "They are permitted to have academic counseling, strength and conditioning, access to equipment ... and athletic training."

At Tech, Weaver said that the support system for athletes is a privilege, not a right. Weaver said that when an athlete is suspended from a team, the coach makes the final call on what the individual player is permitted to do.

"(The coach) could say to John Doe or Jane Doe, 'You're not going to be actively practicing or participating with the team for the rest of the semester. You can use the weight room, but don't use it during the hours the team works out,'" Weaver said.

Though it is not uncommon for coaches to revoke all team-related privileges, Weaver said that rarely would athletes have their academic counseling options taken away.

Shauna Cobb, assistant director for athletics compliance stressed the university's emphasis on academia.

"If you can't participate, you can at least stay up on your academics," Cobb said. "Unless it was something that occurred that was so severe that the coaches said, 'We are going to bar you from all athletic facilities.'"

SUSPENDED, BUT STILL ON SCHOLARSHIP

While Luckett is currently not allowed to practice or participate in games, Ballein said that Luckett is still on scholarship with the university, and has had his fall semester's tuition paid for in its entirety.

Vick's scholarship was revoked by Tech before summer practice for the 2004 season began. Vick could not play in the fall season, but was able to return to the team in 2005.

"Once you start practice in the fall, your scholarship is in place," Ballein said. "Let's say a guy got in trouble today. You can't take their scholarship away now. Their tuition has already been paid."

Ballein said that the scholarship could be revoked for spring semester if an athlete was suspended in the fall. The athletics department declined to comment on the status of Luckett's scholarship in the spring.

Barry Simmons, Tech's director of scholarships and financial aid, said that a university pulling a scholarship is rare, and would typically have to be the result of a serious disciplinary act.

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