Blackwell resigns as Freedom's coach

A week after Freedom football coach and former USF quarterback Marquel Blackwell was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence, he has resigned as coach. According to principal Chris Farkas, the Freedom football program is "going to go in a different direction." After last Monday's incident, Farkas asked Blackwell to resign and he complied.

"We felt like (Blackwell) had lost his effectiveness as a role model," Farkas said.

Farkas did, however, stress that the decision wasn't based solely on the latest incident, but a number of events in Blackwell's two years as coach. Blackwell, a former USF standout and Dixie Hollins alum, went 1-9 in 2007, but improved to 4-6 last fall as the Patriots won three of their last four games.

-- JOHN COTEY, Times Staff Writer

Comments

[kevin]

I agree with all the HS recruiting talk...but don't know of a solution. :(
What's really sad is that our #24 ranking is the top in the big east! Wow! That's not good. I think they might have just stuck us in there to have a Big East team in the top 25.

[Ken]

They don't even have to recruit explicitly--the parents and players know which are the better teams (just read the paper).

Shame about Marquel. I hope he gets things figured out and can go in a better direction himself.

[Concerned]

It is known and true that high schools do recruit players from out of their district. Other schools besides Plant do it year after year and this has been going on for quite a long time. That's the example the parents are setting for their children. They go after what they want and get it because they can get away with it. What kind of "role models" are they? The ones who will go to any price to get what they want for their kids. This will continue because there is no way to stop a parent from renting in the district of their choice or just being dishonest. That's life, not exactly called "role models" in my opinion.

[Windbane]

Give me the 90 schools that should be ranked higher.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

USF just went 2-5 in the pitful Big East.

We ought to be ranked about #91..

We haven't beaten Rutgers in 3 years. Haven't beaten Cinci in 3 years. And our road record is pathetic.

USF has proven very little in Big East play the last 4 years.

I feel better now.

[Mike Lakeland]

And cue Chalko posting nonsense on the blog in:

5....4....3....2....1....

[Norb]

I really wish USF stayed off all pre-season rankings. Let them feel disrespected & have to work to prove they're worthy of any ranking.

[g-man]

Rivals.com picks Bulls as No. 24 in pre-pre-pre-season poll:

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=898567

[Ken M]

JOHN COTEY - actually, I have a problem with you!
Why do you celebrate the teams that recruit, while heaping immense praise on these coaches when they destroy other teams.... while seemingly questioning the coaching abilities of those who take a job at a Leto or a Blake...
Ask St. Weiner why he didn't take the Leto job when it was open.

[DJL]

We really need to take a second look at football in this county. Way too much empahasis on winning. The bottom line is, ... you cannot win in this county, in certain districts because of open recruiting. Plant has 18 football players on special assignment. It is an all-star team. They put up 70+ on Leto every year...
Leto is a class program, with excellent coaches, but very few of the top players within their boundries play for the falcons.
I'll stop now, but I'd like some of you to comment. The current system is twisted. Will the new coach at Freedom be given a chance to be a class guy, ....? Someone who does it right?

[RR]

This was the right move.

Actions have consequences.