A future on hold, an unshakable past

The living room in E.J. Jones' apartment overlooks the University of Minnesota football practice facility, offering him a clear view of the action. His building sits maybe 20 yards from the field, but at times it feels like a world apart.

Jones often watches his former teammates through a window while wondering if his once-promising career is over. Jones was one of four Gophers players removed from the program in response to a sexual assault in a campus apartment a little more than a year ago.

Dominic Jones (no relation) was the only player charged and was found guilty of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct earlier this month. The other two players -- Alex Daniels and Keith Massey -- left school last year.

But E.J. Jones, a sophomore running back from St. Louis, stayed in school, hoping to clear his name and be allowed back on the football team.

That's unlikely to happen, however. Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi said he and football coach Tim Brewster are not inclined to allow any of the players back into the program. The university will decide by July whether to allow E.J. Jones to remain on scholarship.

Few would disagree that Jones put himself in a bad position and helped bring negative national attention to the school and program. Jones acknowledges having consensual sex with the woman, but said that was the extent of his involvement.

He said he regrets being involved with the incident and believes he's been punished enough.

"I came to this school for a reason," he said last week over lunch. "I love this school. I want to be a part of what's going on. And I wasn't going to give up on it for something that I feel I didn't do wrong. I think life is all about facing adversity. I knew I would be fine because I know what happened."

Close friends surprised

Jones was the Gophers' starting tailback as a true freshman in the 2006 season opener at Kent State. But he suffered an ankle injury on his third carry and played in only five games, finishing the season with 30 rushing yards.

Jones had planned on switching to cornerback last season, but he was arrested with Daniels and Massey the night before the spring game.

Those who know Jones well were shocked his name would be attached to such a serious crime. It seemed out of character for a guy who was honored for his leadership numerous times in high school, always has been a good student and never has been in trouble, outside of a few parking tickets on campus.

"He's all the adjectives you use to describe an effective leader," said Tim Dougherty, his football coach at Edwardsville (Ill.) High. "E.J. is the type of kid who always carried himself with maturity."

Speaking about the incident, Jones said he agreed to drive former teammate Robert McField to pick up the woman and her friend. McField was scheduled to head to prison soon after pleading guilty to armed robbery in high school.

Jones said he had sex with the woman but was asleep in his room at the time of the assault and did not learn what happened until later. Jones said he exchanged phone numbers with the woman the next morning and allowed McField to use his car to drive her home.

Jones was arrested a few days later at his apartment and missed the spring game while sitting in a downtown jail on a $100,000 bail. Jones called it the lowest moment of his life.

"I never experienced anything like that," he said. "I didn't sleep or take a shower. I didn't really eat. I didn't know what to think."

Jones and the two others were released two days later and never were charged. They were dismissed from the program in July for violating the school's code of conduct.

"It wasn't a matter of being guilty of a crime," Maturi said last week. "They were guilty of inappropriate conduct and inappropriate behavior."

Programs in place

At the time of Jones' dismissal, Brewster said he was establishing a "culture of integrity" and called it an "honor and a privilege" to play football for the school. Brewster declined comment for this story, referring questions to Maturi.

Sexual allegations involving athletes have not been uncommon at Minnesota. According to a 1999 Star Tribune report, the university found at least 40 allegations of criminal sexual conduct or domestic violence involving male athletes from 1993 to '98. Two football players -- Steven Watson and Mackenzy Toussaint -- were kicked out of the program after being charged with rape in 2001. Both were later acquitted.

Current athletic department officials say they offer a number of services designed to prevent sexual violence, raise awareness of sexual conduct and promote personal responsibility.

For example, every freshman athlete is required to take part in a personal development program through the department's Life Skills program. The 10-week course includes sexual awareness issues, such as how to act on a date, how to talk to members of the opposite sex and always honoring that no means no.

The Life Skills directors also meet with each team during its season and work closely with several organizations that deal with sexual violence prevention.

"[Athletes] are always getting education on sexual awareness and sexual responsibility," said Peyton Owens, the school's director of student-athlete welfare. "We provide our student-athletes with as much information as possible so they can make smart, healthy decisions."

Remains hopeful

Jones disagrees with how his role has been characterized, but he recognizes the school is in a tough spot in terms of public perception. He said he regrets being involved at all.

"I wish I would have just said, 'Not tonight, not tonight,'" he said. "That's the main regret. I should have known better and that's probably my biggest regret about the whole thing. Just my whole involvement with the issue itself."

While Daniels and Massey left school and the state, Jones said he never considered that option. He had scholarship offers from Air Force, Northwestern, Illinois and Indiana in high school, but he would have to sit out a year if he transfers to another Division I-A school. That means he would have only two seasons of eligibility remaining after being out of football for two seasons.

"What school wants to take that chance?" he said.

Jones' father, Edmund, is the secondary coach at Division I-AA Indiana State. E.J. could transfer there and be eligible to play right away, but Edmund wants his son to stay at Minnesota.

"When you're not guilty of anything, you stay," Edmund said. "Why would you leave there? It's one of the finest universities in the country and best metropolitan areas in the country."

Edmund said he agreed with the school's decision to dismiss his son at the time of the arrest, but said the school should reconsider his status now.

"You have to protect the reputation of your university and your program," he said. "I work for a university myself. But when you know the truth and realize there's a young man who's been falsely accused and not done anything wrong, you have to go ahead and reinstate the young man."

Jones said he did not feel like an outcast on campus the past year, although he admits he initially got "some funny looks."

"Once people got to know me, I made a lot more friends," he said.

Jones attended Gophers home games and now lives with three of his former teammates. He said he works out five days a week and looks to be in good shape. He also said he is doing better in school this semester after slipping some in the fall.

"We've had to do everything to keep him up [emotionally]," Edmund Jones said. "People there at the university and in Minneapolis did a great job of keeping his spirits up. We couldn't have done it by ourselves. It really did take a village to keep his spirits up."

Jones said he watched almost every practice from his living room last fall and he walks by the football facility on his way to class every day. He said he remains hopeful his football career is not over.

"I have to think about school and my life," he said. "But football is a part of my life. That's why I'm pushing so hard to play."