Stoops: Had Mixon thrown punch in 2016, he’d be gone

when they will be playing NORMAN, Okla. — Oklahoma as an independent. coach Bob Stoops said NMSU plays its final season Wednesday that Joe Mixon in 2017 in the Sun Belt Conference, would be off the team if he had which did not extend the punched a woman now instead Aggies’ football-only membership of 2½ years ago, when he suspended beyond that season. the star running back The Aggies will travel to for a year in a move that has Lafayette on either Sept. 18 drawn sharp criticism. or Oct. 6 of 2018. The Ragin’ Mixon was suspended after Cajuns come to Aggie Memorial punching Oklahoma student Stadium on Nov. 16, 2019.

Amelia Molitor in 2014. Mixon NMSU has won two straight returned last year and helped over ULL, including 37-31 this the Sooners reach the College past season.

Football Playoff, and he has The Aggies also have agreements been a standout again this year to host Wyoming and for No. 7 Oklahoma. play at Minnesota in 2018. In reversing course, Stoops Games against New Mexico and said he believed that the UTEP are also being planned.

then-18-year-old Mixon could ALABAMA: Coach Nick redeem himself. He said times Saban believes it’s hard to have changed, and society now blame players for skipping the has a no-tolerance policy on bowl games when the playoffs domestic violence incidents. He have overshadowed most of said that’s a good thing. them anyway.

“Two-and-a-half-years later, Saban reiterated concerns dismissal is really the only Wednesday that he has voiced thing that is possible,” Stoops before that switching to the said. “A young guy having an playoff format would diminish opportunity to rehabilitate and the importance of other bowl to have some kind of discipline games, and he says that has and come back from it is really happened. LSU tailback Leonard not there anymore.” Fournette and Stanford Mixon entered an Alford tailback Christian McCaffrey plea at the time, acknowledging have announced they won’t there was likely enough play in their teams’ bowls to evidence to convict him of misdemeanor prepare for the NFL draft. assault while still The coach said after practice asserting his innocence. He that “Everybody’s interested in did not serve jail time and was the playoff. Nobody’s interested ordered to perform 100 hours of in anything else.

community service. “So now that that’s trickled NEW MEXICO STATE: The down to the players. How can Aggies have added a home-andhome you blame the players for that? series with Louisiana I can’t blame the players for Lafayette for the 2018-19 seasons, that.”