HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — The first day of fall camp at Joan C. Edwards Stadium came with the usual surprise additions the Thundering Herd roster and no-shows from the 2015 signing class.
The biggest surprise was the addition of former Arizona State signee Davon Durant, who was dismissed from the Sun Devils before ever playing a down in the desert.
Durant, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker signed with the Sun Devils out of Butler Community College in Kansas and enrolled at the university in January for spring practice. However, he was dismissed following an arrest in March for aggravated assault charges. Police arrested Durant for allegedly striking his girlfriend and grabbing her around the neck during an argument. She later recanted her claims, telling police the original statements were “made up.”
“We are fully aware of Davon’s situation at Arizona State and take very seriously all of the issues he once faced,” Holliday said. “We have done our due diligence in reviewing all available information, as we do with any student-athlete who enters our program. We are comfortable with the information we have gathered and all of the individuals with whom we have spoken are confident that Davon will embrace this opportunity to represent Marshall Athletics and this university with class.”
Durant will sit out the 2015 season per NCAA transfer rules and will have two years of eligibility left starting in 2016.
The Herd also added defensive lineman Milan Lanier out of Mount Healthy High School in Cincinnati. The 6-foot-5, 225 pound also had offers from Illinois, Connecticut, Middle Tennessee, Ball State and Ohio.
There were several no-shows from the 2015 signing class. Thirteen signees were on the field Friday. Among the players who were not working out, receivers Leron Carn and Latrell Nieves, linebacker George Davis, safety Von Davis and defensive end Channing Hames are academic non-qualifiers and will sit out this season. Receiver Simino Walden will grayshirt. Running back Kentavious Thomas, a former Mississippi State commitment, worked out with The Herd this summer but did not join the team.