Connecticut Post (
www.ctpost.com)
Although it isn't necessarily related to his departure, Calhoun had some harsh words for Johnson and others who performed poorly at the line against Assumption.
"Guys who are making foul shots, made foul shots," Calhoun said after the game. "Jeff (Adrien) is working on it, so I can't get on him too much. He's in here every day doing extras. But a couple guys, 1-for-5 for example, you can't play. We had those lulls last year, and that becomes two empty trips."
Johnson played in 51 games over his two-year Husky career, starting 24 and averaging 4.9 points per game.
Hartford Courant (
www.courant.com)
Johnson, a 6-foot-6 wing player from Los Angeles, told coach Jim Calhoun on Monday he plans to transfer. Granted permission to speak to other schools, Johnson will finish the semester at UConn but is no longer part of the team.
"Marcus came to see me [Monday] and told me that he felt it was in his best interests to find another school to attend and to play basketball," Calhoun said in a statement. "I know he has a desire to maximize his playing time and also to get closer to home, so he felt this was the best decision for him at this time. I wish him nothing but the best as a person and as a basketball player."
Johnson will seek to join a program closer to the West Coast. But it is less likely elite programs such as Arizona, which recruited him out of Westchester High, would have as much interest now.
Johnson, a top 50 national recruit in 2005, exhausted his junior eligibility by playing six minutes in UConn's first exhibition Thursday against Assumption, according to a UConn spokesman. If Johnson is unable to have a year of eligibility restored, and because he must sit out two semesters when transferring to another Division I school, he will not be eligible to play until the spring semester of 2009, when he will be a senior.
In that case, Johnson would be able to play only that half season. An NCAA spokesperson would not comment for the record Monday, instead referring questions to bylaws that do not clearly outline whether exhibition competition is part of a season.
"Any competition, regardless of time, during a season in an intercollegiate sport shall be counted as a season of competition in that sport, except as provided in [bylaws that do not apply to Johnson's case]," rule 14.2.3.1 states.
Should Johnson face eligibility issues, he could have recourse in the Committee on Student Athlete Reinstatement. Johnson's next school could apply for his reinstatement. Within the confines of the NCAA rulebook, there are a number of angles Johnson could pursue in attempting to have a year of eligibility restored or rewarded.
"I enjoyed my time here," Johnson said in a statement. "I appreciate everything that my teammates and coaches have done for me and hope they have plenty of success."
His departure leaves UConn with 11 scholarship players, two below the maximum.
In two seasons, Johnson averaged 4.9 points in 51 games, starting 24. He averaged 5.5 points and 3.0 rebounds last season.
