Redshirt junior Ike Whitaker has been indefinitely suspended from team activities for missing a wide receiver meeting Wednesday morning.
Whitaker said that he missed a 7 a.m. meeting with his fellow wide receivers and coach Kevin Sherman after accidentally oversleeping. Whitaker came in after the meeting began, met with Sherman, and then sat down with head coach Frank Beamer at 10 a.m.
"He told me I'm suspended ... for missing a meeting," Whitaker said. Whitaker felt his punishment did not correlate with his actions.
"I shouldn't have missed the meeting but I shouldn't have been suspended from the team because there's a number of people that miss meetings all the time," Whitaker said. "Other people miss meetings and are still on the team. There's certain people who miss meetings over and over and they are not suspended."
Whitaker also said that he is considering his options after this most recent suspension, including possibly transferring colleges.
"I have some decisions I have to make about what I want to do about schools, if I want to stay or here or if I want to transfer," Whitaker said. "I have some decisions to make about what's best for me. I'm human; I have feelings. I want to play just like everybody else."
Whitaker said he would work hard and do what is required of him by the coaches to be reinstated.
Whitaker said he is still on scholarship and will continue to attend classes.
This season, Whitaker has played in three of five games. His only receiving yards for the year came during the season opener against Eastern Carolina University, in which he caught three passes for 14 yards.
Whitaker moved to wide receiver from quarterback in 2007 when then-freshman Tyrod Taylor was added to the depth chart. Whitaker said he took the position change in stride, trying to work hard to gain playing time.
Whitaker said it's unfortunate that his efforts on the practice field have not garnered him opportunities during games.
"I mean practice-wise and football-wise I'm busting my tail everyday out there and I'm making plays out there," Whitaker said. "(Not playing in games) sucks, it just sucks. I think I deserve playing time, of course."
Director of Football Operations John Ballein had no comment.
As of yesterday afternoon, Whitaker was no longer listed on the hokiesports.com Web site football team roster.
Whitaker has been suspended from the team before. During his 2005-06 redshirt season, Whitaker was ruled ineligible for one month, from March 2, 2006 through April 3, 2006.
In December 2006, he entered alcohol rehab at the Mount Regis Center in Salem, missing the Chick Fil-A bowl game. Whitaker said that he has had trouble with alcohol before, but that it was not the reason for his most recent suspension.
"I have kind of been all over the place," Whitaker said. "I got in trouble my freshman year, and that set me back a little bit. But I got help and came back stronger."
Whitaker also said that he attended karaoke night at Top Of The Stairs on Tuesday, the night before the meeting. Multiple witnesses said they saw Whitaker at TOTS until at least 1 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Last season, Whitaker did not travel to Tech's game Clemson game after Beamer suggested he take the week off to "think about his future."