Hope: Beckford’s status at Purdue “very questionable” after latest arrest
By CLIFF BRUNT
ISL Editor
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – It doesn’t look good for Dwayne Beckford.
Purdue head football coach Danny Hope has announced that the senior linebacker has been suspended from the team indefinitely following his latest arrest, his fourth brush with the law the past two years. Hope described Beckford’s future at Purdue as “very questionable.”
Beckford was an honorable mention All-Big Ten choice last season. He finished the season with 91 tackles and three sacks. He started eight games and was an honorable mention All-Big Ten choice. He has started 18 games at Purdue, but might have started his last after violating rules that were in place to prevent further problems.
My marching orders to him was to avoid any compromising situations or being around any compromising situations, Hope said Tuesday during his weekly news conference.
Hope sounded ready to move on. He said Antwon Higgs, Joe Gilliam and converted quarterback Sean Robinson will play in Beckford’s place in the opener Saturday against Eastern Kentucky.
He’s out of the lineup, Hope said of Beckford. Those other guys will compete and play well, and we’ll win without Dwayne Beckford as a linebacker on our football team.
Hope grew tired of answering questions about Beckford at one point.
I think we’ve got a pretty good handle on it because once I finish answering this question, I won’t answer any more about Dwayne, he said. We’ll focus on the game and the other players on the football team. So I’m fixing to wrap up that phase of it pretty quick.
