Newly installed Minnesota Golden Gophers coach Richard Pitino the Younger announced that Golden Gophers guard Joe Coleman has requested, and received, release from his scholarship.
“Joe Coleman has made the decision to leave the Golden Gopher basketball program. We wish him the very best in the future,” said Pitino the Younger in a prepared statement. “We appreciate the contributions he has given the program the last two years.”
Joe Coleman played in 72 career games for the Gophers, including all 34 last season. He contributed career-highs in multiple categories as a sophomore, including points (8.7 ppg), rebounds (3.6 rpg), assists (1.5 apg), steals (1.1 spg) and minutes played (26.3 mpg). He will leave the program with career averages of 7.2 points and 3.3 rebounds.
Joe Coleman‘s uncle, 6-foot-9 Ben Coleman, also left Minnesota after his sophomore season (1981) & transferred to Maryland. Will Joe Coleman be a part of “Fear the Turtle?” Or is the 6-4 guard headed to St. John’s? The Twitter talk seems to lean that way. This now leaves the Gophers with zero players on their roster from the state of Minnesota.
Coleman just did not fit the new system of Pitino’s.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net. He’s also an author who also contributes regularly to MSN, Fox Sports , Chicago Now, Walter Football.com and Yardbarker
Banks has appeared on the History Channel, as well as Clear Channel, ESPN and CBS radio all over the world. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@PaulMBanks)