Arizona athletic department officials had to be hoping the biggest challenge with running back Ka'Deem Carey in the off season would be dreaming up a suitable slogan for his Heisman campaign in 2013.
But Carey has had three run-ins with the law since his remarkable 2012 season ended and now Arizona coaches and officials have to be hoping they can prevent Carey from doing any further damage to his reputation.
Carey led the nation in rushing last season and became a consensus All-American scoring a school record 23 touchdowns, and apparently he's not shy about sharing those credentials. The Arizona Daily Wildcat was first to report Carey was ejected from a men's basketball game against UCLA last week at the McKale Center following a verbal confrontation with arena staffers and police.
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Carey and his cousin, Hakeem Adams-Johnson , were sitting on the backs of seats for which they didn't have tickets. When a police officer asked Carey and his cousin for their tickets, he responded by saying, “Get the (expletive) out of my face,” according the police report obtained by the Daily Wildcat.
He then added, “Do you know who I am? I’m an All-American.”
Almost sounds like a Heisman slogan doesn't it?
It would be simple enough to chalk up one episode of questionable decision making by Carey to immaturity, but Carey already was facing charges for misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct from a Dec. 23 incident with his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Marissa Rambow.
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In asking for an order of protection against the running back, she alleged Carey, “came into room to obtain a lighter to use illegal substance in home. I asked him multiple times to leave the room and he refused, pushed/shoved way in and knocked me to the floor. Threatening my pregnancy and myself. Slammed my fingers in the door when trying to prohibit smoking illegal substance in the home.”
Just over a week ago a few days before Carey was tossed out of the basketball game, he was ticketed for driving with an expired registration and no proof of insurance. He's racking up troublesome off-the-field incidents almost as fast as he chewed up yards on the field. This is all heading to a bad place for Carey. Unless he focuses his priorities, he might ruin any chance of a Heisman campaign. If he gets into any other serious trouble this off season, it's fair to wonder if he will be running the ball for Arizona at all next season.
Follow Kyle on Twitter @KyleRingo
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