PROVO — BYU running back Marcus Whalen will finish his college career at Southern Utah University after completing paperwork to transfer and make deadlines for summer school in Cedar City this week.
BYU officials suspended Whalen last week following a review of an honor-code infraction involving another Cougar player, seldom-used receiver Breyon Jones. The incident, in which no legal changes were filed, allegedly involved a fight with a third person. Jones also received a suspension, according to university sources, and is undergoing a review of the decision.
SUU officials on Monday said they cannot comment on Whalen's transfer. Whalen committed to sign with the Thunderbirds on Monday. Whalen has one year of eligibility remaining.
Whalen's suspension is reportedly a result of violating probation stemming from a 2000 honor-code violation. The latest incident four weeks ago did not involve a violation of the honor code, according to Whalen family members, who said the football player told BYU officials he was not involved in a fight but admitted being present when a fight occurred and at a place where drinking took place.
The location reported to school officials was a bar where alcoholic beverages were available. A 2000 probation for Whalen mandated he not be present at any place that served alcohol. "Marcus told me and repeated to school officials he was not drinking" his mother, Christina Whalen, said. "He made a mistake in the company he chose and the place he met, and it cost him."
Whalen, who is in Maryland, decided not to wait for results of an appeal of BYU's decison but withdrew from BYU spring semester work last Thursday, according to his mother. Whalen withdrew from BYU through his wife, Faith, who did the paper work after he received a release from his scholarship from BYU's athletic director Val Hale.
Marcus Whalen was not available to comment Monday night.
"I appreciate the hard work in behalf of Marcus by coach Gary Crowton and Hale. They spent a lot of time trying to make it work for Marcus and finally recommended he attend SUU rather than wait for an appeal process that may take long enough so he would not be able to make the transfer. Marcus has always wanted to stay and play for BYU, but this works out best for both parties," Christina Whalen commented.
Whalen saw brief action this past year for the Cougars after he suffered a broken foot during warm ups before the season-opener against Georgia Tech in LaVell Edwards Stadium. He was listed behind Curtis Brown and Fahu Tahi in BYU's 2004 spring depth chart before leaving spring drills to concentrate on academic work.
Whalen's and Jones' suspensions follow action taken against four other Cougar football players this winter for violations of the school's honor code. Following a January 16 incident involving group sex and alcohol, BYU expelled the Cougars' leading rusher, Rey Brathwaite and suspended cornerbacks James Allen and Shannon Benton, and defensive tackle C. J. Ah You until January 2005.
Whalen sent release notices to SUU, Northern Arizona, Idaho State and Sacramento State - all Division I - AA schools that do not require him to sit out a year to be eligible. He also considered Weber State before settling on SUU, according to Christina Whalen.
If he had not withdrawn from BYU last Thursday, he would have had to finish an internship this spring and summer to be eligible to play for the Cougars. That internship will now be done in Cedar City through SUU, according to Christina Whalen.
The Thunderbirds backfield could use Whalen. The most experienced returning player is a blocking fullback Gordon Reid, younger brother of former Cougars Spencer and Gabriel Reid. Whalen, who plays halfback, is expected to make an immediate impact in the offense, a blend of plays taken from former Cougar offensive coordinator Norm Chow and current Cougar coach Gary Crowton.
E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com