Cornerback Boubacar Cissoko dismissed for violation of team rules
Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez dismissed cornerback Boubacar Cissoko from the team Tuesday for a violation of team rules.
Cissoko was suspended two games earlier this year for violating rules, but returned to play as a nickel cornerback in last week's loss to Penn State.
The sophomore started the first four games of the season at right corner, opposite Donovan Warren. He was benched early in Michigan's Big Ten opener against Indiana for poor play, did not see the field the following week against Michigan State, and sat out the Iowa and Delaware State games.
Troy Woolfolk has started the last three games at right cornerback. J.T. Floyd, who started against MSU, is the No. 1 backup.
Woolfolk said Monday he liked the look of Michigan's "Swat Team" third-down defense, when he played safety and Cissoko played cornerback in an attempt to get Michigan's best coverage defensive backs on the field.
"He's a great athlete and we just had to incorporate him into the game someway, somehow," Woolfolk said of Cissoko. "He did a great job. He just locked up those receivers the whole game."
Dave Birkett covers University of Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at 734-623-2552 or by e-mail at davidbirkett@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
Comments
NC Wolverine 20
Wed, Oct 28, 2009 : 6:32 p.m.
adameichner: uhh, my post was tongue-in-cheek. I don't really feel sorry for you, I was agreeing with you. I do think that all schools should focus on recruiting/admitting student/athletes who are serious about getting educated and getting a degree.
jeremy
Wed, Oct 28, 2009 : 9:21 a.m.
ESPN is saying that he missed workouts and classes and therefore his reason for dismissal. I remember when he was in the recruiting class, callers on wtka were proclaiming him to be the next woodson. that he would replace morgan trent and now look at everyone jumping on the kid. My only hope for him is to get his act together and that he wasnt one of the current players who talked to ncaa about violations. Because whether we fans want to admit it or not, we do not KNOW who all were saying things. We can Speculate but not know.
1998pa
Wed, Oct 28, 2009 : 8:55 a.m.
TATER: "There is really nothing bad going on at UM." Obviously, a letter of the inquiry from the NCAA is a good thing, in your eyes. And it doesn't matter if you think it's a witch hunt. Because an NCAA investigation is going on, nevertheless. So on a factual basis, tater, you're wrong. It's too bad you're not capable of dealing with reality in any way, shape or form.
mg0blue
Wed, Oct 28, 2009 : 8:30 a.m.
Not sure if this has been noted yet, but anyone else think that it's a coincidence that Booboo's trial was yesterday? I know that people have mentioned that he was "internally disciplined" this summer, but I just find that kind of ironic.
rightmind250
Wed, Oct 28, 2009 : 8:17 a.m.
I have worked with too many people like RR. The teflon king. Its not his crappy defense, its G-rob. G-rob is the only sad sack that rr could find that would work for his ego maniacal butt. Whats he going to do in the future? When Grahm leaves next year this defense will have nobody. Maybe Barwis can do something with Baby huey, big fat Will.
81wolverine
Wed, Oct 28, 2009 : 7:56 a.m.
This dismissal is best for both parties in the long run. Cissoko needs to get his act together somewhere else and Michigan needs to uphold its high standards of achievement - both on and off the field. From a football point of view, Cissoko wasn't doing well anyway. My feeling has always been that he's just too small to be playing the CB position. Almost every receiver had a significant size and reach advantage over him. Still, I wish him luck in the future wherever he ends us (as long as isn't MSU or OSU).
rightmind250
Wed, Oct 28, 2009 : 7:50 a.m.
Where do you think BooBoo learned to whine and cry? I don't recall Lloyd crying during his weekly press conference. When the NCAA gets done with him, RR, you better bring the Kleenex. Kicking BooBoo off the team is just the 1st example of RR going out swinging. Martin's retirement should haver been the 1st hint that the sh@@t is hitting the fan. The 2nd half of the Penn State game should have shown you what is happening to this team. The players are laying down on RR. They quit. I don't have any great expectations for the IL game this week.
jeremy
Wed, Oct 28, 2009 : 6:03 a.m.
he was praised thursday and friday for working hard to get back on the team and now today he is done. Truly is sad and I do hope he isnt one of the "rats" of the programs. though i do think espn will be contacting him to get a story on the locker room or try to find some other dirt on the team. Tater, you cant blame tressel for dantonio....he learned from nick saban first.
Fresh121
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 11:29 p.m.
BC was a LC recruit and a 5 star 1 at that, he wasent very good not sure if it was scheme or him but whatever the case may be peace out to bad rubish!!...Gj RR...Go Blue
Fresh121
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 11:27 p.m.
BC was a LC recruit and a 5 star 1 at that, he wasent very good not sure if it was scheme or him but whatever the case may be peace out to bad rubish!!...Gj RR...Go Blue
heartbreakM
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 10:09 p.m.
Actually red cedar: Booboo was LC's recruit, who re-opened his commitment when RR became coach, but ultimately re-signed. I have been critical of RR but on this issue, he is not at fault. In fact, he is to be praised for decisive action on a player who did not meet his obligation to the team or the university.
braggslaw
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 9:41 p.m.
The putrid state of Michigan football has nothing to do with Michigan State. I think people need to keep their attention on what's happening on Michigan
adameichner
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 8:54 p.m.
NC Wolverine 20 -- whilst there be many GOOD reasons for feeling sorry for me, this, alas, is not one of them. You make my point exactly. In law, they speak of not approaching the court asking for relief with "dirty hands". In these times every team has its share of thugs. Forget zero tolerance. A simpler way of assuring that neither green nor blue sacrifices ethics and integrity in the name of excellence: How about requiring every athlete who is to play on the teams actually be eligible to be admitted entry to the school they are to play for. Grade point, Standardized test scores p the whole shmeer. I'd still go to the games, and I'd still enjoy it. Waddya think NC wolverine? other dude? you fellas in? But NC - as I said earlier, feel free to feel sorry for me. The reasons for same are myriad. But I still don't see how the programs are that far apart on their roster of criminals. I don't follow that closely, but wasn't there some walk on-footbal player here who got charged for pummeling a u of m hockey player who was manhandling his girlfriend? I'm just saying that it seems fairly manifest that to some degree, all of these programs are kind of rolling the dice with these fellas they bring in in the name of giving us a good performance. And, absent the partisan loyalty, which in the end is victimless, there is really a certain degree of parity of thugishness abounding?
NC Wolverine 20
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 8:13 p.m.
Adam: I feel sorry for you. Every 5th grader knows that putting someone else down is the best way to make yourself feel better. Mike Hart, Mark Dantonio, and many fans from both teams apparently understand this simple fact all too well. Don't you want to join the club?
adameichner
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 7:49 p.m.
amaizenman -- this is the second time in recent posts a michigan fan has groused about how michigan state players are criminals. don't get my point wrong here - I am a spartan grad, living here in the ace duece, who is a u of m season ticket holder. I am able to get beyond simpleminded partisanship and root for U of M unless they play my boys in green. Now I know we as Michigan fans are having a tough time being in the role of "little brother" suddenly, so I forgive you you're grousy grumbling. But I love facts. Can you please point me to some anecdotal article evidence of this thuggery you seem to know about on the part of those heathen spartans of mine? I googled "spartan player arrested" and the only article that seemed to talk about spartan ne'er do wells was a blog post about a robbery by three players in a parking lot. a similiar search for wolverine football players turns up a story about a fellow named feagin, another fellow named mallet, etc. I guess I'm saying that as far as I can remember the bulk (no pun intended) of these fellas at most division one schools, are not Phi Beta Kappa, glee club types, but at-risk kids who happened to be blessed with abundant physical gifts. It really can be okay, for one of the "blue dudes" to do something wrong, without you needing to divert the conversation to how the "green dudes" are just as bad, or worse in your view. As a spartan fan, you get used to peaks and valleys. I recommend that you learn to be okay with the boys in blue playing with mediocrity once in a while. it happens. stop grousing and get behind your state's other team. nothing personal, just seems like the more mature way to look at things.
amaizenman
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 6:44 p.m.
Too bad he didn't go to MSU. Coaches in EL help get players released from jail early so they don't miss the start of fall practice. No doubt something as minor as missing class and study table wouldn't even be a blip on the radar screen for discipline at MSU. Great to see RR walking the talk and demanding the players strive for excellence in the class room as well. I hope we don't get investigated for violating the "too much time required for studying" rule.
Kubrick66
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 6:33 p.m.
Some kids just don't get it.