Michigan sophomore running back O’Maury Samuels has been dismissed from the football program, according to a press release from associate athletic director David Ablauf.
The announcement comes after Samuels was charged with domestic violence and malicious destruction of property, both misdemeanors, which occured on Dec. 8, according to Ann Arbor 15th District Court records.
The case status is currently pending.
Samuels’ dismissal is not a huge loss for the Wolverines from a football point of view, as he accumulated just 79 yards on 21 carries in his Michigan career. Not to mention, the Wolverines will return running backs Chris Evans and Tru Wilson next season, both of whom were ahead of Samuels on the depth chart. Additionally, Michigan will welcome 2019 four-star running back Zach Charbonnet into the fold next season.
So it isn’t as if the Wolverines are without talent at running back now that Samuels is gone.
However, the dismissal does emphasize a couple of misses for Michigan from the 2017 recruiting class.
Samuels came to Ann Arbor as a four-star prospect and the No. 1 player in New Mexico for the class of 2017, according to 247Sports, as he ran for 4,306 yards and 50 touchdowns in his high school career. He was joined by running back Kurt Taylor in that class.
Now, with Samuels gone and Taylor announcing his transfer earlier this season, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is without a running back from that class, despite the fact that the prospects seemed quite promising at the time.
This is a developing story. Check back at michigandaily.com for more details.