UO football's Most Outstanding Players in court Friday

EUGENE, Ore. -- Two key players from the University of Oregon football team's offense will be in court Friday.

Whether they will ever be on the field again remains to be seen.

For LaMichael James, the freshman running back who hit the hole left by LeGarrette Blount and ran his way to the Rose Bowl, Pac-10 honors and a new UO record, his date with a judge Friday starts at 8:30 a.m.

For Jeremiah Masoli, the junior college transfer who stepped into the pocket after injuries dropped one Duck quarterback after another and who shared the team's Most Outstanding Player honors with James, the court expects him at 1:30 p.m.

James is scheduled for a change of plea and sentencing hearing. Springfield police arrested James on Feb. 17 on suspicion of strangulation, fourth degree assault and menacing stemming from an alleged incident outside his Springfield apartment on Feb. 15. James pleaded not guilty to the five misdemeanor counts and spent a night in jail before being released on house arrest.

Masoli faces arraignment on one felony count of second degree burglary stemming from an incident in January. Masoli and former Duck Garrett Embry are charged with stealing or destroying over $1,000 worth of property from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon frat house at 812 E. 14th Ave. in Eugene.

Coach Chip Kelly said Wednesday he would determine a course of disciplinary action for both players on Friday. When he would decide, and how he would make his decision known, remains to be seen.

The Ducks rode a rollercoaster through the season, from Blount's post-game punch to a string of wins that put the Ducks on the doorstep of the Rose Bowl, only to lose to Ohio State.

Since then, one Duck after another has grabbed headlines for the wrong reasons. Last week, kicker Rob Beard pleaded guilty to knocking a 90-pound, 19-year-old woman to the ground -- an incident that prompted two of the woman's friends to punch and kick Beard into unconsciousness back in January.

Junior linebacker Josh Kaddu faces a minor in possession of alcohol charge.

Another linebacker, Kiko Alonso, faces MIP and DUI charges. He has been suspended for the entire upcoming football season.