EUGENE, Ore. - A star Duck football player suspended from the team since police pulled him over and cited him for traffic violations appeared in court Thursday to settle the charges. Eugene police pulled over All-American Cliff Harris Oct. 24 and cited him for driving without insurance, failure to wear a seatbelt and driving with a suspended license. He was suspended from all football-related activities the same day by Coach Chip Kelly. Dave Williford with the University of Oregon athletic department told KVAL News on Thursday that Harris remains suspended. It remains to be seen if Thursday's court proceedings will affect whether or not Harris will play against USC at Autzen Stadium this Saturday, although Williford told KVAL News he doesn't expect Harris' eligibility to change. Michael Buseman, the attorney representing Harris, didn't know, either. "I have no say in that, and I have no idea," he said. "I don't have any input there." Harris pleaded guilty to the seatbelt charge in Eugene Municipal Court on Thursday, Nov. 17. He was fined $100. Harris pleaded no contest to driving with a suspended license. A plea of no contest means a defendant does not admit guilty but acknowledges a court would be likely to convict based on the evidence. The court placed him on 60 days diversion and ordered him to pay a $300 fine. "Over the course of the next 60 days, Cliff just has to make sure he doesn't commit any similar offenses," Buseman said. "If he does that, in 60 days, which would be January 17, the driving while suspended charge will be dismissed." The court dismissed the charge of driving without insurance. The car belonged to Harris' mother and was insured. KVAL News was in court Thursday and spoke with Harris and Buseman after the proceedings. This wasn't Harris' first run-in with the law over traffic violations. In June 2011, he was cited after police clocked him doing 118 mph on Interstate 5 near Albany. "What he said to me was if you fall down seven times, you gotta get up eight," Buseman said with his client by his said, "and I thought that was pretty good advice. "I think he knows what he needs to do, that Cliff Harris is fully capable of doing that and that Cliff Harris will do that." http://www.kval.com/news/local/134052348.html
Is Oregon the only school in the nation that sits an All-American for most of a season for traffic violations?
The Beavs will probably play their best game all season next weekend and take a 3 point lead into the 4th quarter. Then Chippy will put Harris in and he'll take a punt return to the house. FML.
I hope so, too. If he comes back there's a pretty good chance that he'll have his head on straight and we all know he's a heck of a player. As good as our defense has been, it could use another difference-maker. Does anyone think it's possible that he'll be out the rest of the year and then return next season? Ideally he'd use the offseason to get in great shape and be ready to rock from day one. I could see how he might transfer... but that would probably be a good indication he's not made of the stuff we want our players to be, huh? Ed O.
Maybe this time off from the game will clear his head and he'll come back without the ego and want to show off his ridic athleticism. For some reason with this kid, I'm not holding my breath though.
