Redhawks gives talented Foust a second chance

Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Gary Garner said he wrestled with the situation for quite a while and wavered more than a few times.

But Garner ultimately decided that it was the right thing to give Brandon Foust a second chance and welcome him to the Redhawks program.

Southeast athletic director Don Kaverman said he and other university officials -- including president Ken Dobbins -- came to the same conclusion.

The end result is that Foust -- who in July pleaded guilty to fourth-degree felony burglary in his native Columbus, Ohio, and was placed on two years probation -- enrolled at Southeast this week and will play for the Redhawks.

Foust, a former player for the University of Oklahoma, will have to sit out the 2005-06 season under NCAA transfer rules, although he will be allowed to practice with the Redhawks. As long as he meets academic requirements, he will be eligible to play for Southeast in 2006-07.

"I firmly believe that every kid deserves a second chance. Not a third chance, a second chance," said Garner during a Thursday morning news conference on the Southeast campus to not only announce the transfer but also to inform local media of the player's legal problems.

Although Southeast began recruiting Foust in January after he left Oklahoma and contacted Redhawks assistant coach Toby Lane -- a former assistant at OU who was with the Sooners during Foust's freshman season in 2003-04 -- Garner said Southeast's coaching staff did not learn of Foust's legal problems until early this summer.

"It's the first time I've ever been recruiting a player under circumstances like this," Garner said. "Believe me, I wrestled with this. I really waffled back and forth, whether to even go to Don [Kaverman] or just stop recruiting him.

"But we've done our research, and I really feel like he's a good kid. In my heart, I know it's the right thing. I know we're going to catch some criticism from this, but I'm really comfortable with this."

Foust, 21, and a teenage accomplice were charged with breaking into the home of a neighbor on Hempstead Drive in Columbus on Feb. 10 and removing several items. The Columbus Dispatch newspaper reported that, according to a police report, an eyewitness observed the break-in and notified police and the homeowner.

The Columbus Dispatch reported that officers found the house ransacked. They tracked footprints in the snow to Foust's house and made the arrests. According to the newspaper, items recovered by police included $3,700 in jewelry and a 20-inch flat-screen television.

"We discussed this at length internally. There were a lot of people involved in this process," including Dobbins, Kaverman said. "We talked to the prosecuting attorney, former coaches, the prosecutor talked to the judge on his [Foust's] behalf. They were all supportive.

"His prosecutor described him to me as a promising young man who found himself in an atypical situation."

Added Kaverman: "I firmly believe everybody deserves a second chance. We're willing to give him a second chance. He realizes what's at stake, not only from a basketball perspective but from a life perspective. I see it as a show of support for the young man, and a show of support for the basketball program.

"I know we'll take some criticism, but we made the determination as an institution whether we want to be involved with this young man. We determined we would."

Foust, who spoke with reporters during the press conference, said he is appreciative of his opportunity at Southeast and is determined to put the past behind him.

"SEMO is giving me a second chance. I want to take advantage of it. I prayed for it," Foust said.

Asked about the crime, Foust simply said, "A few bad decisions I made when I went home. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It will never happen again."

Garner said he talked to quite a few people regarding Foust's background and came to the conclusion that Foust made one mistake that was totally out of character for him.

"We did a lot of research. I talked to a lot of people. They all say he just made a mistake," Garner said. "Toby [Lane] was at Oklahoma his whole freshman year, and he thinks he's a really good kid.

"I'm not going to deceive you. He's a very good player. But, needless to say, if he had a prior record, we wouldn't have considered this. If there was a pattern, it would have been a totally different story. But this was his first time."

Foust was suspended for one game early in his sophomore season at Oklahoma by coach Kelvin Sampson, according to reports from last year by the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Foust's suspension was related to a curfew violation during a tournament in Anchorage, Alaska.

Garner said he spoke to Sampson at length.

"Kelvin brought that up, he said he had a little curfew thing, but he said it was nothing," Garner said. "That's not a concern to me. Kelvin said I'd be crazy if I don't take him."

Sampson could not be reached for comment.

Garner emphasized that what Foust makes of his second chance is up to him, but the coach is confident there will be no problems. And he hopes the public will allow Foust to put that chapter of his life behind him.

"I just hope we can get it over with and let the kid move forward," Garner said.