The Demetrius Jones Saga Continues

The Chicago Tribune: Jones to get his release from ND - Kevin White's (ND Athletic Director) Statement

"Since learning of the situation surrounding the departure of Demetrius Jones on Friday, Sept. 14, the University of Notre Dame has been gathering facts to better assess his interest in transferring. Today, without formal confirmation of Demetrius' status, we reached out to him to assist him and his family in ascertaining his athletic and academic future plans.

"We are helping Demetrius compile a list of prospective schools that are not on our immediate future football schedules. We will grant him a release to those schools, and we will assist him in settling at another institution as best we can. It's our hope that Demetrius can enroll at an institution at which he might be able to receive a scholarship, possibly be eligible for the 2008 football season and, importantly, continue to make progress toward his degree without interruption.

"We have initiated our normal protocol by identifying a list of institutions to which he has an interest in transferring. While Demetrius did not consult us on his decision, the University and he are now working together in our customary fashion. Our hope is that this process assists him in finding an institution that will enable him to meet his goals both as a student and as an athlete."

The Chicago Tribune: Wish granted, Jones ponders next move

What has transpired in the wake of Jones' abrupt departure from Notre Dame last week has been a media fiasco of its own. Jones was not on the team buses leaving Notre Dame Friday for Michigan, touching off a flurry of he-said, he-said in the media between Jones and the university.

It is that misunderstanding that bothers Jones the most now. Jones will go to Saturday's Notre Dame-Michigan State game.

"I'm going to root for those [Notre Dame] guys," Jones said. "The only thing I regret is how I had to leave. [Notre Dame] let me go the best way they could and that's pretty fair to me. If fans want to bash me, I understand where they're coming from. But this was a very hard decision."

The Chicago Sun-Times: Plot thickens: NIU not on approved list

It appears Notre Dame will release Demetrius Jones from his scholarship after all -- but not to transfer to Northern Illinois.

One day after athletic director Kevin White announced he would not release Jones this season -- saying he didn't ''believe his departure was handled appropriately'' -- White released another statement Thursday that the school has ''reached out'' to Jones to help with his academic future.

The three-paragraph statement never mentions NIU, where the former Morgan Park quarterback is enrolled in classes, but it did say Notre Dame is ''helping Demetrius compile a list of prospective schools that are not on our immediate future football schedules.''

The Huskies are not on any of Notre Dame's future schedules; however, senior associate AD John Heisler said NIU will not be on the list of approved schools.

When asked for a reason, Heisler said: ''We're not in a position to elaborate on that.''

The SOuth Bend Tribune: NIU not on ND's release list

According to a statement from athletics director Kevin White Thursday, Notre Dame will release quarterback Demetrius Jones from his scholarship as long as the school is not on ND's future football schedule -- and it's not Northern Illinois.