Ryter's Block: Ole Miss Coach Andy Kennedy Arrested

The Story: Mississippi coach Andy Kennedy was arrested early Thursday morning for allegedly assaulting a cab driver. Coach Kennedy and athletic director Pete Boone had a meeting today and the pair is expected to release a statement determining if Kennedy will coach tonight’s game against Louisville. The matchup against Louisville is part of the Big East/SEC Invitational. Kennedy was arrested for allegedly punching a cab driver in the face while shouting racial slurs at him. The assault reportedly occurred at 1 a.m. Thursday morning in downtown Cincinnati. Assistant coach Michael White would coach the Rebels tonight if Kennedy doesn’t. Kennedy is in his third season as the Rebels coach. He was an interim coach for Cincinnati when Bob Huggins was fired prior to the 2005-06 season.

Ryter’s Block: Ole Miss has started the season at 7-3 and was beginning to emerge as one of the best teams in the SEC West this year. If Kennedy is guilty of these actions this would be a setback for the Rebels. Coaches are the leaders of their respective team and program. As a coach and a leader, you have to remove yourself from these situations. Even if Kennedy is found not guilty, people will still wonder what happened last night and how he got himself involved in this. Do you think Tom Izzo or Roy Williams would ever put themselves in this situation? It’s not just talent that separates the elite college basketball programs, it’s also the coaches. The Rebels could make a huge statement by beating Louisville tonight…if they can avoid the distraction of their “leader.”

Matthew Ryter keeps you up to date on the world of college basketball with his "Ryter's Block" column.  What do you think about this story? Post your comments below: