And now we officially have a name attached to an off-field legal situation at Oklahoma State.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Cowboys freshman linebacker Jeremiah Tshimanga alleging that somebody had withdrawn a total of $700 from his bank account without his permission. Tshimanga told police officers investigating the incident that it was a teammate, with Internet speculation centering on running back Herschel Sims.
Today, OSU announced that Sims has been dismissed from the football program. The school did not address the impending legal situation facing Sims, rather falling back on the old “violation of unspecified team rules” as the reason for the dismissal.
It should be noted that, as of this posting, Sims has yet to be charged for the alleged theft.
A four-star -- five-star according to Scout.com -- member of the Cowboys’ 2011 recruiting class, Rivals.com had Sims rated as the No. 2 all-purpose back in the nation that year. He finished third on the team in rushing as a true freshman with 248 yards despite totaling just 31 carries, and scored two rushing touchdowns in the nine games in which he played.
While he wasn’t listed on the pre-spring two-deep spring depth chart and would’ve likely been behind starter Joseph Randle and backup Jeremy Smith heading into summer camp, Sims was expected to be a significant contributor in 2012.