Peter Lalich may head to Oregon State

By JEFF WHITE
MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
Published: September 24, 2008

Peter Lalich appears to be bound for Oregon State

Lalich was the starting quarterback for the University of Virginia when the season started but was dismissed from the team last week.

On Monday and Tuesday he visited Oregon State, a PAC-10 school in Corvallis, Ore.

The Oregon State coach is Mike Riley, a longtime friend of U.Va. coach Al Groh. Asked yesterday if he’d recommended Lalich to Riley, Groh said, “I think I’ll leave it between Mike and Peter and discuss our team that we have in place now.“

Transfer paperwork still must be completed, but unless U.Va. officials change their minds this week and allow Lalich back on the team—a move no one expects—he is likely to enroll at Oregon State.

Fall classes start Monday at Oregon State, one of the few Football Bowl Subdivision schools on the quarter system.

A 20-year-old sophomore, Lalich did not redshirt at U.Va., and he is expected to petition the NCAA to not count the two games he played this year as a season of eligibility. If such an appeal were approved, he would have three seasons of eligibility remaining after sitting out this season.

In two games this season, Lalich completed 39 of 74 passes for 359 yards and no touchdowns, with three interceptions.

He was not allowed to travel with the team for its third game—Sept. 13 at Connecticut. Five days later, U.Va. Athletic Director Craig Littlepage announced his dismissal.

That was the day Lalich admitted in a Charlottesville court that he had violated the terms of the pre-conviction probation program he began in July. Later that day, in a meeting with Littlepage, Lalich learned he was off the team.

“We supported Peter, but believe today a point has been reached where it’s best for all concerned that he no longer participate on the team,“ Littlepage said in a statement released that night. “This is my decision, and it has the support of head football coach Al Groh. We wish Peter the best in the future.“

Lalich remains on probation. The misdemeanor charge he faces unlawful purchase and possession of alcohol—will be dismissed if there are no more violations of his terms between now and July 21, 2009.

U.Va.‘s decision to dismiss Lalich was not solely a reaction to his probation violation, sources told The Times-Dispatch last week. He had other transgressions not involving the criminal-justice system, the sources said.

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