Two years in a row, Ralph Friedgen and the Terrapin football program thought enough of Melvin Alaeze’s on-field talent to offer the star defensive end a scholarship. According to what Alaeze, his father and another source told The (Baltimore) Sun and The Washington Post, those thoughts were overshadowed by several off-field red flags.
Last week, the Terps rescinded their scholarship offer to Alaeze due to what the Athletics Department called “violation of the terms of his financial aid agreement” in a press release.
The Sun reported June 22 that Alaeze said he had a meeting with Friedgen, in which the Terp coach told him the decision had to do with the defensive end’s February arrest on charges including marijuana possession. Three of five charges were dismissed while two others were made inactive, the paper reported.
Alaeze told both The Sun and The Post he felt “betrayed” by Maryland and Friedgen. Alaeze had been attempting to gain NCAA eligibility by re-taking the SAT and Dinma Alaeze, Melvin’s father, told The Sun he is “about 10 points away.”
When contacted for comment yesterday, Alaeze’s father said his son would not like to talk about the situation to The Diamondback.
There had been rumors in January Alaeze was wavering on his commitment to the Terps from 2005. The Diamondback reported Alaeze was unsure about signing with the Terps. Still, the No. 2 prep school prospect out of Hargrave Academy faxed his letter of intent early in the morning on National Signing Day.
But Alaeze’s temperament seemed decidedly different after his scholarship was revoked.
“I never really felt during the recruiting process the way someone is supposed to feel if he’s highly recruited,” Alaeze told The Sun last week. “I was never comfortable with it. I didn’t feel the love.”
Contact reporter Stephen Whyno at whynodbk@gmail.com.
