DISMISSED FROM EIU, LUCZYNSKI LANDS AT SXU

College Football: Former L-Way East Grad Admits To Smoking Marijuana

CHARLESTON - A "rough period" led Colin Luczynski, he said, to
marijuana.

In turn, a positive test for the drug led last week to the end of his
Eastern Illinois University football career.

Now, the Lincoln-Way East grad will line up for St. Xavier's team,
ranked No. 4 in the nation in the NAIA's preseason poll.

The Cougars announced Thursday - one week after Eastern announced
Luczynski's ouster - that the 6-foot-2, 245-pound defensive lineman
will play for SXU this season.

"First of all, Colin is eligible under the NAIA transfer rules," SXU
coach Mike Feminis said. "Second and most important, I've known Colin
for five years, since I recruited him ... from the best team
Lincoln-Way East ever had."

SXU quarterback Anthony Kropp and cornerback Pat Geary were
Luczynski's teammates on East's 2005 Class 8A champion.

"I received a call from the coach at Eastern Illinois (Bob Spoo), I
received a call from (Lincoln-Way East coach) Rob Zvonar," Feminis
said. "When they speak on somebody's behalf, I listen.

"I took all of that into consideration. I sat down with Colin. I sat
down with our captains and discussed the situation, and it was my
decision to give this kid a second chance.

"If I didn't know he was a good kid, on target to graduate, we
wouldn't be having this discussion."

Luczynski was one of three players released from Eastern's squad,
including Sandburg alum Eric Rettke, a junior offensive lineman, and
Chevon Walker, a senior running back, for unspecified rules violations.

Luczynski, a fifth-year senior, admitted to smoking
marijuana.

"I had many things happen in my life that were pretty serious, so
yeah, I smoked one time," Luczynski said.

He said he understood what he did was against team rules, but felt the
punishment was unfair.

"Numerous other athletes failed the tests to the same extent as me,
but they suffered lesser consequences," Luczynski said. "Similar
results on the test yielded different punishments than I received."

Luczynski claimed more than 20 Eastern football players failed the
test. Another member of the football team, who wished to remain
anonymous, said 26 players tested positive. Eastern Illinois associate
athletic director of media and public relations Rich Moser declined
comment on either the specifics of the drug test that tripped up
Luczynski or why the players were dropped, saying only each "violated
team rules."

According to Eastern Illinois policy, a first positive drug test leads
to a suspension from competitions equaling 20 percent of NCAA
allowable events for that sport, evaluation and counseling. The
student-athlete also becomes subject to repeated unannounced drug testing.

In addition to the drug test, Luczynski said he was in violation of
Eastern's code of conduct for missing academic meetings and the
subsequent punishments for those offenses. But he said he maintained
his academic eligibility and never had any major violations - criminal
offenses and the like - of the code.

He claimed other players committed worse code violations yet remained
on the team.

Luczynski had to sit out during the spring because of a shoulder
injury, but he started the last six games for the Panthers last season.

He finished the season with 22 tackles and despite increased playing
time, his half scholarship was not bumped up to a full scholarship for
the 2010 season.

Athletes are subject to drug testing from either the university or the
NCAA. Eastern administered the test Luczynski failed.

According to Luczynski and former player Austin Signor, in the past
the school administered random drug tests to a select number of
athletes. This season, the school administered the test to the entire
team.

"The inequality of the punishments suggests the tests were
administered to allow the athletic directors to serve some ulterior
motive," Luczynski said.

Luczynski said this is the first time players were tested before the
start of camp.

Moser said the school does not just test for one drug, and that the
test is for all banned substances.

"It is a blanket test," Moser said.

Eastern Illinois added two players to its roster on Aug. 5 - offensive
lineman Mike Garrity from Illinois and defensive tackle Aki
Dionsopoulos from Fresno State.