Toussaint Hit With DUI Comment Count

Brian

Blarg:

The Saline Police Department arrested University of Michigan starting running back Fitzgerald Toussaint in Ann Arbor Saturday night on charges of operating a vehicle while impaired, according to Detective Don Lupi.

Details are still forthcoming. DUI is usually a suspension-level offense even for a first-timer, so Michigan may have just lost its starting tailback for a slightly important game. A reminder: Stonum's enforced redshirt was after two DUIs and repeated failure to do what the court told him to. Toussaint's not in the same boat.

Comments

kehnonymous

July 23rd, 2012 at 3:14 PM ^

Fraaaaaaaaaaaaacccccccccccck. 

The silver linings here are 1) First and foremost, no one was hurt, 2) Rawls is going to be motivated to up his game, and 3) ... at least Fitz is fast so that'll help him spend less time running up and down the Big House bleachers.

Still.... fraaaaaaaaaaaaccccccccccccck

NFG

July 23rd, 2012 at 3:15 PM ^

This also is a huge blow, because it will most likely make Jesse Palmer correct on his statement a while back about Michigan already being 0-1.

TheInfamousOne

July 23rd, 2012 at 3:51 PM ^

Yes, Fitz screwed up big time here and hurt the team with the big Alabama opener coming up.  I guess we get to see what Rawls is made of on Sept 1.  We also have Vincent Smith who will do just fine.



Hoke should just sit him out the entire year, I think that will help send the message.

Ron Utah

July 23rd, 2012 at 5:42 PM ^

He's a college kid.  He made a mistake.  Yes, it's a big mistake, but a full year suspension for his first offense is not a good idea.

I know lots of people that have gotten DUIs, and none of them had to take a year off of work.

I think he should get a 2-3 game suspension; second offense he's kicked off the team.

JimBobTressel

July 23rd, 2012 at 3:59 PM ^

I didn't have hopes of beating Bama before, but it's almost definitely not happening now. no Fitz = no ball control, no chewing up clock. Which means Alabama's crazy nasty OL will be on the field more. Against our paper thin D Line.

 

Great.

M Fanfare

July 23rd, 2012 at 4:57 PM ^

I am confident Hoke will handle this correctly like he did with Stonum. If I were in Hoke's shoes, I would probably suspend him for 4 games, with some sort of hard-work incentive (voluntary workouts/stadium stairs) to possibly reduce it to 3 or 2.

blueohio86

July 23rd, 2012 at 4:59 PM ^

What is it with football players who play for teams in Michigan getting arrested for driving under the influence of some various chemical?!  Call a cab or a friend or a magic carpet or a unicorn or something!!!  Just don't get in the car!!!  This is a classic example of young kids doing dumb things and forgetting that they represent something much larger than themselves. 

Mr. Yost

July 24th, 2012 at 8:20 AM ^

If you really want this to hit home...sit Fitz down and talk about his daughter. Talk about how if he hurts someone and is in jail, or hurts himself...how that affects his daughter.

Then talk about how he's got a shot to go to the NFL...not next year, THIS YEAR. How he needs every single game AND he needs to stay out of trouble to increase his draft stock. If he wants to support his daughter, he needs to make sure he's not being selfish and immature.

The possibility of hurting yourself or others should be enough, but if it's not --- he needs to be able to look his daughter in her eye and have her best interests at heart. Being in jail or in the hospital or not around at all because you were drinking and driving in no way helps support her.

Fitz has got a true opportunity. He can get away from his background, support his family and earn a living playing a sport. I hope he doesn't blow it.

Ron Utah

July 23rd, 2012 at 5:48 PM ^

He must be suspended for the 'Bama game.  He and his teammates need to feel this pain.  I really hope he gets 2-3 games, and is back for ND.  But more than that, I hope he learns a lesson about personal responsibility to team, school, fans, and life.  Drinking and Driving is a horrible crime, and I hope he understands he could have killed someone.

With everything that's going on in college football right now, a multiple-game suspension is the only acceptable punishment.  I like the idea of a 4-game suspension that can be reduced by stairs/sprints and community service down to a minimum of 2 games.

Sopwith

July 23rd, 2012 at 6:45 PM ^

Couldn't they AT LEAST call Taylor Lewan for a ride on the twosie????

Seriously, we could have gone into the Bama game with NFL-ready prospects at WR and RB if ARRRRRRRGH GET A RIDE DARRYL Stonum and AAAAAAARRRRGH WHAT DID I JUST SAY Toussaint would just AAAAAAARGH GET A RIDE and stop risking your own life and those of innocent people.

graybeaver

July 23rd, 2012 at 7:36 PM ^

I don't think first offense DUI is bad enough to suspend a player from a game. However, I would consider making him sit out of a couple of practices.

Mark Dantonio

ClearEyesFullHart

July 23rd, 2012 at 11:42 PM ^

The three million people who think he "let them down" need to take a step back and realize there's more to life than beating Alabama.

The people who should be angry are the 80 guys sweating and bleeding for Michigan. Those are the guys he let down.

CoachBP623

July 24th, 2012 at 1:43 AM ^

I wasn't really thinking we were going to run the ball that well against Bama anyway. Actually, Rawls is a physical downhill guy that might give us a better shot to sustain drives then with Fitzgerald who runs a lot more east west then Rawls.



Hopefully he mans up and proves to his teammates that he's really in this for them and the staff and not himself.