TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) -Less than a month after being released from his national letter of intent by Washington State because of a series of traffic violations, quarterback Calvin Schmidtke signed Tuesday to play at Indiana State.
Schmidtke, of Tacoma, Wash., was considered one of the state’s top high school players but continual off-field issues prompted new Cougars coach Paul Wulff to let Schmidtke go before he enrolled at the school.
He was recently arrested in Washington’s Pierce County for a variety of traffic and controlled substance violations. According to The News Tribune of Tacoma, Schmidtke had received 11 citations from law enforcement in an 18-month span ending in May.
The Lakes High School star was one of the top players in his home state last year, throwing for 2,724 yards and 37 touchdowns.
He will be eligible to play immediately for Indiana State, which plays in the Championship Subdivision of Division I.
“Calvin Schmidtke is a great addition to our football team as far as having someone that can add to the competition for the quarterback position this fall,” ISU coach Trent Miles said in a written statement. “There is no doubt that he enjoyed a tremendous high school career, and we are pleased that he is going to join the Sycamore football family to begin his college career at Indiana State.”
Miles did not immediately return a message left at his office by The Associated Press.
Indiana State will enter the 2008 season having lost 31 of 32 games.
The lone victory during the 32-game span, against Missouri State on Oct. 21, 2006, was tainted because Indiana State used an ineligible player.
Rather than forfeit the game, the NCAA suspended then coach Lou West for one game the following season and fined the school $1,500. West was fired last September and replaced by interim coach Dennis Raetz, but the Sycamores still finished 0-11.
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