Report: Rutgers officials tipped police off to player arrested in double-murder plot

By John TaylorOct 31, 2018, 2:31 PM EDT

Were it not for a Rutgers football player and an assistant coach following the chain-of-command, a disturbing situation that unfolded Tuesday could’ve turned tragic.

Rutgers linebacker Izaia Bullock was arrested yesterday and charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder and two counts of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder. It’s alleged that Bullock had initiated a plot to murder two family members of an acquaintance, the names of whom have not been revealed.

According to a report from nj.com Wednesday, and citing five people either inside the Rutgers football program or close to Bullock, the ending of a lengthy relationship with his girlfriend had left Bullock distraught. That breakup then allegedly led to Bullock making comments that were construed as threatening towards the unidentified woman’s family.

What followed, per the report, was a teammate reporting alarming comments made by Bullock to an assistant coach, who in turn passed along what he was told as required by university policy before the information ultimately ended up in the hands of the proper authorities.

From the website’s report:

He confided in the Rutgers coaching staff about his struggles with the breakup and missed a recent practice to deal with the issue. The coaching staff directed him to a university counselor, whom he met with for 90 minutes on Monday. Bullock then made alarming comments to an unnamed teammate following that session, according to the individuals with knowledge of the situation.

The teammate reported what Bullock had said to a strength coach, who then followed mandatory protocol and informed a superior. The information was eventually given to Rutgers police on Monday.

In addition to the information obtained from those connected to the program and the university, the Bridgewater Courier News is also reporting that an audio recording was turned over to police that shed light on Bullock’s alleged plot. The recording was obtained by an individual who was allegedly being recruited by Bullock to serve as his getaway driver.

Obviously, Bullock was dismissed from the Scarlet Knights football program following his arrest.

Vick, Fitzgerald and Suggs among stars on College Football Hall of Fame ballot for 1st time

Associated PressJun 5, 2023, 9:04 PM EDT

RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Vick, Larry Fitzgerald and Terrell Suggs are among the college football stars who will be considered for induction to the Hall of Fame for the first time this year.

The National Football Foundation released Monday a list of 78 players and nine coaches from major college football who are on the Hall of Fame ballot. There also are 101 players and 32 coaches from lower divisions of college football up for consideration.

Vick, who led Virginia Tech to the BCS championship game against Florida State as a redshirt freshman in 1999, is among the most notable players appearing on the ballot in his first year of eligibility.

Vick finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1999. He played one season of college football before being drafted No. 1 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2001. Vick’s professional career was interrupted when he served 21 months in prison for his involvement in dog fighting.

Fitzgerald was the Heisman runner-up in 2003 to Oklahoma quarterback Jason White. He scored 34 touchdowns in just two seasons at Pitt.

Suggs led the nation in sacks with 24 in 2002 for Arizona State.

The 2024 Hall of Fame class will be chosen by the National Football Foundation’s Honors Court and announced in January. Induction into the Atlanta-based hall is the following December.

Alabama freshman DB Mitchell says he wasn’t sure he’d get to play again after arrest

Associated PressJun 5, 2023, 8:59 PM EDT

Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama defensive back Tony Mitchell said he feared his football career was over after his arrest on a drug charge.

The Crimson Tide freshman said in a video posted Sunday on social media that he knew “something much bigger could have happened.”

A judge in Holmes County, Florida, sentenced Mitchell to three years of probation with a fine and community service on May 24 after Mitchell pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of more than 20 grams of cannabis.

“I didn’t know if I’d be able to play football again, but I continued to work out and stay close with the Lord and those who love me unconditionally,” Mitchell said. “During those times, it helped me to keep my mind off it. But when I was by myself looking at social media, what everybody had to say about it, it just felt like it happened again.

“I didn’t sleep at night.”

He was suspended from the Alabama team following the arrest, but Mitchell’s father, Tony Sr., posted on Facebook last week that the defensive back had been reinstated. An Alabama spokesman declined to comment on Mitchell’s status.

Tony Mitchell Sr. shared his son’s video on Facebook, saying it was filmed during a talk to youth.

“I was doing things I knew I shouldn’t to try to fit in,” the younger Mitchell said, “but not everybody’s your friend.”

Mitchell, who is from Alabaster, Alabama, was a four-star prospect and the 15th-rated safety in the 247Composite rankings.

He had been charged in March with possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell after a traffic stop when authorities said he drove over 141 mph (227 kph) while trying to evade deputies in the Florida Panhandle. A deputy had spotted Mitchell’s black Dodge Challenger traveling 78 mph (125 kph) in a 55 mph (88 kph) zone on a rural highway north of Bonifay.

He also received 100 hours of community service and paid a fine of $1,560.

Mitchell and a passenger were both charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to sell or deliver, according to a Holmes County Sheriff’s Office arrest report. The other man also was charged with carrying a concealed gun without a permit.