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Planning for the future

Tyrann Mathieu must begin to repair his image if he wants a career in the NFL

Updated: August 12, 2012, 4:12 PM ET
By Gary Laney | GeauxTigerNation
BATON ROUGE, La. -- When he was a freshman going through a redshirt year at Florida State in 1996, Randy Moss tested positive for marijuana and, having already been in legal trouble for charges related to a high school brawl, was dismissed from the Seminoles team by FSU coach Bobby Bowden.

Moss landed at Marshall, then a Football Championship Subdivision program (or I-AA, as it was called then), and dominated. He tied Jerry Rice's I-AA single-season receiving touchdown record (28). He led the Thundering Herd to a Division I-AA national title. A couple of years later, Moss was in the NFL and his career, and life, were back on track.

Two years after Moss was booted at Marshall, promising running back Cecil Collins was booted from LSU's team for charges stemming from his breaking into women's homes. He joined I-AA member McNeese State's team and lasted two games before he failed a drug test and was booted from the team.

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Gary Laney | email

Reporter, GeauxTigerNation
  • Reporter for GeauxTigerNation
  • Covers LSU Tigers sports and recruiting
  • Joined ESPN in 2012

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