Notre Dame vs Alabama: How top teams punish players

Two college football powerhouses facing similar player issues resulted in different punishments. Here’s why Notre Dame’s actions were better.

Some people think student-athletes get away with everything, while others think they are under too much pressure for being young men and sometimes still teenagers. Either way, when one of them does something stupid, coaches and the university have to find the proper way to punish their players. Recently, Notre Dame and Alabama have had similar issues with student-athletes, but the two schools’ recations have been quite different.

Notre Dame

Aug. 19, 2016: Former Notre Dame free safety Max Redfield, along with four other teammates, were arrested after they were stopped initially for a broken tail light. Police officers found marijuana and a handgun without a license inside the car. Redfield was charged with possession of marijuana, a class B misdemeanor, as well as the handgun charge, a class A misdemeanor.

Aug. 21: Brian Kelly dismissed Redfield from the team, two weeks before the season opener.

Alabama

Sept. 29: Alabama linebacker Tim Williams was arrested in his vehicle in a Publix parking lot. According to USA TODAY, court documents show that the officers smelled marijuana coming from the parked car. The officers then found a bag of marijuana in the center console as well as a Glock 41 pistol under the driver’s seat. Williams did not have a permit for his handgun.

Later that next day, Williams was released on a $300 bond. Alabama head coach Nick Saban did not let him off that easy though.

Saban issued a statement that this kind of behavior would not be condoned in their program. Williams received a half-game suspension last Saturday against Kentucky.

Saban’s first-half suspension was apparently the extent of Williams’ punishment.

Last summer, Alabama left tackle Cam Robinson and defensive back Hootie Jones were arrested for possession of marijuana and a stolen gun. In this instance the district attorney’s office declined to press charges, citing insufficient evidence.

“I want to emphasize once again that the main reason I’m doing this is that I refuse to ruin the lives of two young men who have spent their adolescence and teenage years, working and sweating, while we were all in the air conditioning.” District attorney Jerry Jones explained, according to KNOE 8 News.

Must Read: Notre Dame football: Syracuse grades

Review

Notre Dame’s Max Redfield had been dismissed by the University, while Alabama’s Tim Williams received a half-game suspension for what seems like very similar crimes.

With similar instances you have to ask, are certain universities holding players to different standards?