LITTLE ROCK — Michael Dyer’s brief stint as an Arkansas State running back is over.
The Little Rock native and former All-SEC running back at Auburn was dismissed from the ASU football team, Red Wolves Coach Gus Malzahn said in a statement released Sunday night, ending the touted running back’s stay with the Red Wolves before he played a down for them.
The first-year coach said in a release issued just after 7 p.m. that Dyer was dismissed for “violating team rules,” though the nature of the violation or the rule that was broken was not specified.
“I am truly disappointed that it didn’t work out here at ASU for Mike,” Malzahn said in the release. “I wish Mike nothing but the best in the future.”
The announcement of Dyer’s dismissal came nine days after he held a news conference in Jonesboro to say that, despite his not being eligible for the 2012 season, he had no plans to transfer from ASU.
On that day, Dyer addressed rumors that he was considering a transfer from the school at which he enrolled in January. Rumors of his transfer had sprung up following an appeal ASU made to the NCAA was denied. A successful appeal would have made him eligible for the 2012 season.
Per NCAA transfer rules, Dyer was going to have to sit out the 2012 season after his transfer from Auburn. ASU filed for a waiver that would have granted Dyer immediate eligibility, but it was denied. The school then issued an appeal, and it was denied, making it for sure Dyer wouldn’t play for the Red Wolves in 2012.
But during his July 20 news conference, Dyer said the appeal had no bearing on his plans to stay in Jonesboro.
“I’m just going to sit out this year and do what I can with my running backs and my players and teammates that I’ve grown to love since I’ve been here,” Dyer said.
Dyer’s uncle, Andre Dyer, spoke with Malzahn on Sunday but declined to disclose the reasons for his nephew’s dismissal.
“He’s a grown man and I’m not going to jump into it like that,” Andre Dyer said. “If it was something I could talk about I would talk about it with you. But I can’t do that.”
Andre Dyer also said he didn’t know whether Dyer would continue his college career at another school.
“I don’t know anything like that right now,” Andre Dyer said. “I don’t know where the guy’s head is. Until I talk to him I can’t say for sure and I want to be sure when I make a statement.”
Dyer was a highly sought after recruit when he graduated from Little Rock Christian in 2010 and he chose Auburn over Alabama, Arkansas and Florida, among others.
He was the offensive MVP in Auburn’s victory over Oregon in the 2011 BCS National Championship Game and was the first Tigers running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. His 1,093 yards as a freshman broke Bo Jackson’s freshman record and he rushed for 1,242 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
But he was suspended by Auburn Coach Gene Chizik last December for a violating unspecified team rules before the Tigers played Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. He then left Auburn and in January he reacquainted with Malzahn, who helped recruit Dyer to Auburn when he was the Tigers’ offensive coordinator, at ASU.
He went through spring practice with the Red Wolves while ASU was applying for his eligibility with the NCAA.
Information for this article was contributed by The Associated Press.
Michael Dyer timeline
NOV. 6, 2009 Michael Dyer commits to play football at Auburn, picking the Tigers over Arkansas, Alabama, Florida and several other schools.
DEC. 27, 2009 Named the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Offensive Player of the Year after he rushed for 2,502 yards and 31 touchdowns as a senior. His 8,097 career yards are still a state record.
SEPT. 4, 2010 Rushed for 95 yards on 14 carries and had 1 touchdown in Auburn’s 52-26 victory over Arkansas State, his first collegiate game.
OCT. 8, 2011 Rushed for 112 yards and a 55-yard touchdown in Auburn’s 38-14 loss to Arkansas in Fayetteville.
DEC. 11, 2011 Suspended indefinitely by Auburn Coach Gene Chizik for a violation of team rules, missing Auburn’s 43-24 victory over Virginia in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
JAN. 6, 2012 Granted a conditional release of his scholarship by Auburn.
JAN. 9, 2012 Decides to transfer to Arkansas State for the 2012 season.
APRIL 11, 2012 Testifies in Lee County (Ala.) Circuit Court that his gun was used in a robbery alleged to have been used in a robbery committed by former Auburn teammates.
APRIL 14, 2012 Rushed for 85 yards on 15 carries in Arkansas State’s spring game.
JULY 5, 2012 Arkansas State announces a waiver filed to the NCAA seeking Dyer’s immediate eligibility was denied, making him ineligible for 2012.
JULY 20, 2012 Dyer holds news conference in Jonesboro saying that he has no plans to transfer from Arkansas State despite the NCAA’s ruling.
JULY 29, 2012 Dyer dismissed from Arkansas State’s football team by Coach Gus Malzahn for a violation of team rules.
Sports, Pages 13 on 07/30/2012