Duck QB Masoli pleads guilty, suspended for entire season

EUGENE, Ore. -- University of Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who shared team Most Outstanding Player honors with LaMichael James last season, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of second degree burglary.

In a press conference less than two hours later, Coach Chip Kelly announced he had suspended Masoli for all of next season.

"He does have a red shirt year available if he chooses to do that," Kelly said. "He will also have a plan put in place if he can follow, strictly follow that plan then he will be able to come back and play in 2011. But he will not be eligible in 2010."

Kelly suspended James, who pleaded guilty Friday morning to misdemeanor harassment, and Rob Beard, who pleaded guilty to harassment last week, from the opening game of next season.

Masoli and former Duck Garrett Embry had faced felony burglary charges.

In a plea deal with prosecutors, the felony charges were reduced to misdemeanors.

Prosecutors said Masoli's fingerprints did not match, but they found other evidence tying him to the crime.

As for a motive, District Attorney Alex Gardner said "we may never know."

Masoli and Embry have three weeks to register for community service. The two must pay $5,200 restitution to the victim within 10 days. The two agreed to split that amount.

They were ordered to have no contact with the victim or with the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
 
The sentence also includes 12 months probation and 140 hours of community service work to be completed within 8 months.

Masoli and Embry were charged with stealing property from the SAE frat house at 812 E. 14th Ave. in Eugene, Ore., back in January.

However, prosecutors only announced March 10 that the two would face any charges.

Court documents: Guilty plea agreement | Search warrant affidavit

Garrett Embry and Jeremiah Masoli in court Friday (Pool photograph)