MORGANTOWN - Jason Gwaltney's days as a West Virginia football player might not all be in the past after all.
MORGANTOWN - Jason Gwaltney's days as a West Virginia football player might not all be in the past after all.
According to his attorney, the former five-star running back recruit has resolved all of his legal issues, is "in the best shape of his life" and is working toward getting the academic credits he would need to enroll in school.
And West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said Tuesday that he would welcome Gwaltney back under certain conditions.
"We'd welcome him back, sure,'' Stewart said. "If he can get his eligibility back, after all he's put into it, everybody deserves a second chance. But understand, it's all about chemistry. And Jason or anybody else in our program will have to follow all of our guidelines as far as going to class and being accountable. If he does all of that, certainly we'd welcome him.''
Gwaltney's attorney, Bob Martin, said his client pleaded no contest Monday in Monongalia County magistrate court to a minor charge related to his arrest in June of 2007 for speeding and underage drinking. Martin said Gwaltney paid a $100 fine and his only future obligation is to attend a six-hour underage drinking class. Martin said Gwaltney still has "a minor domestic issue" that he expects to be resolved by June.
Gwaltney was arrested in Morgantown in an incident that also involved current West Virginia safety Quinton Andrews. Gwaltney was not a member of the WVU football team at the time.
The 6-foot-1, 240-pound running back from Long Island played in only a handful of games as a true freshman in 2005 before a knee injury in a game at Rutgers sidelined him. Gwaltney then stopped going to class and missed rehab sessions and left the team and the school before the semester ended.
He was briefly reinstated to the team in the spring of 2006, but was dismissed by then-coach Rich Rodriguez. He enrolled in classes at a community college in Long Island but did not receive any credits.
Now, though, Martin said Gwaltney is again working toward establishing the credits he needs at a community college and getting into shape for a return to West Virginia.
"He's probably in the best shape he's ever been in,'' Martin said Tuesday. "He's really got his head screwed on right this time. That's one of the reasons he's as clean as a whistle as far as his legal issues are concerned. He was able to impress the prosecutor enough that he worked with him [to drop several minor charges and work out the plea agreement].''
Gwaltney arrived at West Virginia in 2005 as one of the most publicized recruits in school history after turning down offers to play at Southern Cal and Ohio State. He played in six games as a freshman, carrying the ball 45 times for 186 yards and three touchdowns and catching four passes for 15 yards.
As was the case when he returned to the team briefly in the spring of 2006, if Gwaltney gets the credits needed to enroll at WVU again he would do so as a walk-on, Stewart said.
To contact staff writer Dave Hickman, use e-mail or call 348-1734.
MORGANTOWN - Jason Gwaltney's days as a West Virginia football player might not all be in the past after all.
According to his attorney, the former five-star running back recruit has resolved all of his legal issues, is "in the best shape of his life" and is working toward getting the academic credits he would need to enroll in school.
And West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said Tuesday that he would welcome Gwaltney back under certain conditions.
"We'd welcome him back, sure,'' Stewart said. "If he can get his eligibility back, after all he's put into it, everybody deserves a second chance. But understand, it's all about chemistry. And Jason or anybody else in our program will have to follow all of our guidelines as far as going to class and being accountable. If he does all of that, certainly we'd welcome him.''
Gwaltney's attorney, Bob Martin, said his client pleaded no contest Monday in Monongalia County magistrate court to a minor charge related to his arrest in June of 2007 for speeding and underage drinking. Martin said Gwaltney paid a $100 fine and his only future obligation is to attend a six-hour underage drinking class. Martin said Gwaltney still has "a minor domestic issue" that he expects to be resolved by June.
Gwaltney was arrested in Morgantown in an incident that also involved current West Virginia safety Quinton Andrews. Gwaltney was not a member of the WVU football team at the time.
The 6-foot-1, 240-pound running back from Long Island played in only a handful of games as a true freshman in 2005 before a knee injury in a game at Rutgers sidelined him. Gwaltney then stopped going to class and missed rehab sessions and left the team and the school before the semester ended.
He was briefly reinstated to the team in the spring of 2006, but was dismissed by then-coach Rich Rodriguez. He enrolled in classes at a community college in Long Island but did not receive any credits.
Now, though, Martin said Gwaltney is again working toward establishing the credits he needs at a community college and getting into shape for a return to West Virginia.
"He's probably in the best shape he's ever been in,'' Martin said Tuesday. "He's really got his head screwed on right this time. That's one of the reasons he's as clean as a whistle as far as his legal issues are concerned. He was able to impress the prosecutor enough that he worked with him [to drop several minor charges and work out the plea agreement].''
Gwaltney arrived at West Virginia in 2005 as one of the most publicized recruits in school history after turning down offers to play at Southern Cal and Ohio State. He played in six games as a freshman, carrying the ball 45 times for 186 yards and three touchdowns and catching four passes for 15 yards.
As was the case when he returned to the team briefly in the spring of 2006, if Gwaltney gets the credits needed to enroll at WVU again he would do so as a walk-on, Stewart said.
To contact staff writer Dave Hickman, use e-mail or call 348-1734.
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