Defensive end Ernie Hodge will not return to the Ohio University football team this season and is not currently enrolled at the university, Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt said yesterday.
Hodge was arrested twice in the off-season for alcohol-related offenses, first in February for underage consumption, and then in July for operating a vehicle while impaired, which resulted in an indefinite suspension from the football team pending the resolution of his legal cases.
Hodge is scheduled to appear for a pretrial in Athens Municipal Court this morning pertaining to his July arrest.
“Ernie will not be a member of our football team this year,” Hocutt said. “Initially, we said the decision would be made once his legal and University judiciary cases were resolved. His University judiciaries situation was resolved and put us in the place that we are today.”
Hocutt said he believed that Hodge would have the opportunity to re-enroll at the university but didn’t give a specific time frame. Hocutt declined to elaborate on Hodge’s punishment because of the university’s privacy regulations.
Both arrests are considered serious misdemeanors or Level 4 violations according to the Ohio Student-Athlete Code of Conduct, of which the second offense can result in dismissal from the team and loss of athletics aid. Under Ohio University’s alcohol policy, which took effect in the spring of 2006, Hodge’s second violation would likely result in suspension.
Hodge, who had continued to practice with the Bobcats during his indefinite suspension, was not with the team Monday afternoon. If he had been suspended from the university, he would no longer be permitted to participate in team activities.
The Dublin, Va., native played in all of Ohio’s 14 games last season, starting 11 and recording 38 tackles and 3.5 sacks. It would be possible for Hodge to redshirt the 2007 season and maintain his standing as a sophomore in eligibility should he return for 2008.
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