Paul Wulff’s first major player problem has now officially been addressed. Projected free safety starter Xavier Hicks will miss the first three games of the 2008 season, according to Cougfan. The suspension would end and he would be eligible to return against Portland State on 9/20. Hicks, as you may recall, is due to serve some time in the Whitman county jail beginning 7/1. It’s a 45-day sentence, but with good behavior, he could be out in 30 days.
I like what we’ve seen from Hicks on the field thus far. He logged 53 tackles, 2.5 TFL’s, 3 BPU’s, forced a fumble, even blocked a kick as a sophomore in ’07. And he has already developed a reputation as a really big hitter with decent size at 6-0, 195.
So, there you have it. Hicks pled guilty to a couple of misdemeanors and will pay for his mistakes, with jail time and a 3-game suspension. Is it enough in your mind? Does the punishment fit the crime? All things considered, personally I thought he would get at least four games, or at most, miss the entire first month+ of the season. But with a 3-gamer, that still gives Hicks the chance to play in 10 remaining games (remember we have 13 this year). Let’s hope he steers clear of trouble from now on, and that he’s learned from this.
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