Generally, when a college football player is placed under the microscope for criminal indiscretions, it is in his best interest to appear contrite and remorseful about the decisions he's made. The NCAA has proven to cast a kinder eye toward teams and players that do their best to give at least lip service and care about their misbehavior.
Oregon Ducks cornerback Cliff Harris has chosen defiance. That should go well with Chip Kelly. Rob Moseley of the Register-Guard tweeted this report.
Lesson learned? Not quite. Cliff Harris failed to appear by a Tuesday deadline for earlier speeding/suspended citations
In an earlier post, we discussed whether Harris should be put on probation for committing a misdemeanor, suspended for being a repeat traffic offender, or whether he should be dismissed for driving when he shouldn't have been and having an employee of the university (a potential NCAA violation) pay for the car he was driving. Letting him go scott-free is clearly not an option unless Coach Kelly wants the microscope to be placed solidly on his program.
Failing to show for court will cost Harris $614. Here's to hoping an Oregon employee doesn't pay for that either.
Addicted to Quack (the Oregon SB Nation site) says that Harris should not be punished for driving at a reckless speed. What do you believe Cliff Harris's punishment should be for his crime and not acknowledging guilt for his actions? Should Chip Kelly punish him more severely? Let us know in the comments!