SCOOBA — De’Andre Johnson, the former Florida State University quarterback dismissed from that team after video surfaced showing him punching a woman, will not play for the East Mississippi Community College football team this fall.
“He is coming here and enrolling in school,” EMCC coach Buddy Stephens told The Dispatch in Scooba on Monday. “He will not participate in football … he is giving up football, something he dearly loves, for a year to work on these things.”
Johnson, 19, was dismissed from FSU on July 6 for a violation of team rules. Video surveillance showed he punched a female FSU student in the face at a Tallahassee, Florida, bar. He has been charged with a misdemeanor battery charge.
Johnson signed a National Letter of Intent with the Lions and was set to enroll for the fall semester, according to the National Junior College Athletic Association’s website last week.
Stephens, during the team’s Media Day on Monday, said Johnson has enrolled in classes and will go through “mandated counseling.”
“As a coach, if that does not show remorse, I don’t know what does,” Stephens said. “He is a really good kid who made a bad decision.”
ESPN.com reported Friday that Johnson has pleaded not guilty to the battery charge.
ESPN.com also reported Friday that Johnson was expected to play for the Lions this fall.
Stephens said that report and others by “national writers” were wrong. The eighth-year head coach said there was never a plan in place for Johnson to play this fall. The Jacksonville, Florida, native will attend team functions but will not practice or play.
“He is totally stepping away from football,” Stephens said. “He is going to concentrate on his grades, which were really good anyway. We made the decision to have him out here. He is still part of our family. We are not going to throw him away. It’s early, but I am telling you, we are hopeful for him because he is such a great kid.”
Stephens said that while not every story is a success story, from what he has seen thus far, “I think this can be a success story.”
“We didn’t get (him) for any other reason than we think we can help this young man,” he said.
Stephens said that prior to the school allowing Johnson to enroll, he counseled with his assistants, his preacher, his wife, and his three daughters.
“A lot of thought and prayer went into this decision,” Stephens said. “Everybody I talked to said the same thing — people make mistakes.
“He made a bad mistake,” he said. “In making this decision, I tried to put myself in that girl’s father’s position and I tried to put myself in his position. People can say all they want to say in the blogs. It is not going to affect how we play or who we play. We are going to do things that are good for kids. He is not a thug. He made a bad decision.”
Johnson was not made available to media members Monday.
EMCC begins the season Aug. 27 on a 24-game winning streak, the second longest in NJCAA history. The Lions are going for an unprecedented third-straight national championship.
The active quarterbacks on the roster are Louisville High School’s Wyatt Roberts, Madison Central High’s Joseph Willis, and FSU transfer John Franklin III.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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