PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University quarterback Jayden de Laura was arrested for suspicion of DUI over the weekend after he was pulled over for several traffic infractions.
A spokesperson for WSU confirmed to KREM that de Laura is currently suspended indefinitely from the football team.
WHAT WE KNOW
Pullman police said de Laura failed to stop at a stop sign and then turned the wrong way down a one-way street before being stopped.
After performing a field sobriety test, police determined they had probable cause and booked de Laura on suspicion of DUI. De Laura did not give a breathalyzer sample, according to police. He was also driving without a license.
ROLOVICH'S HISTORY WITH PLAYER ARRESTS
How can we expect this to be handled?
When Leach was at the helm in Pullman, we didn't see players get playing time taken away due to DUIs, but obviously, there's a new man in charge down there.
The short answer is: We don't really know.
As far as our research can tell, Rolovich never had a player get a DUI during his time as the head coach of Hawaii.
There was a player while he was there that was charged with two counts of assault, resisting arrest, harassment, and a felony accusation for property damage. When that player pleaded no contest to his charges, he was then kicked off the team after violating Hawaii's student-athlete code of conduct, which said that any athlete pleading guilty or no contest to a felony charge will be permanently dismissed. So, it seems that Rolovich wasn't really involved in that decision as it was already a university rule.
This is seems to be new territory for Rolo as a head coach.
TAKING STOCK OF THE QUARTERBACK ROOM
If de Laura is convicted and there is a punishment in the form of playing time, what would that mean for the quarterback position at WSU?
Right now, WSU has five quarterbacks on the roster: de Laura, walk-on freshman Victor Gabalis, true freshman Xavier Ward, redshirt sophomore Cammon Cooper, and Tennessee graduate transfer Jarrett Guarantano.
Guarantano is expected to compete for the starting job this year with de Laura, so I would imagine that if de Laura faces punishment, Guarantano would get the start.
Even if de Laura is convicted but doesn't face punishment in terms of playing time, I would imagine that this situation would cause him to lose trust among his teammates and his coaches. That could also factor into a quarterback competition and resulting decision next year.
However, this is also February and sometimes people have short memories. The start of football next September is a long ways away.
WSU does not currently have a date yet publicly of when spring practice will begin.