Mike Leach says he 'cut' WR Tavares Martin before he asked for his release

Sam Cooper
·College football writer
Washington State will be without its top two receivers, Tavares Martin Jr. (above) and Isaiah Johnson-Mack in its bowl game. (AP Photo/Young Kwak, File)
Washington State will be without its top two receivers, Tavares Martin Jr. (above) and Isaiah Johnson-Mack in its bowl game. (AP Photo/Young Kwak, File)

Things have been a bit tumultuous at Washington State over the last two weeks.

The team’s two leading receivers, Isaiah Johnson-Mack and Tavares Martin Jr., are parting ways with the program under different circumstances.

Johnson-Mack requested his release from the program earlier this month, but said head coach Mike Leach “denied” his release. Johnson-Mack, a Florida native who caught 60 passes for 555 yards and five scores this year, said he wanted to transfer closer to home and was critical of Leach, especially after the coach interviewed for the Tennessee job that same week.

More than a week later, the issue has been resolved. Johnson-Mack announced Monday that he has been cleared by Washington State to transfer to any FBS school in Florida, as well as “all FCS institutions.”

Things are a bit murkier with Martin, who led Wazzu with 70 catches for 831 yards and nine scores. The program announced Sunday that Martin had been dismissed for violating team rules. However, Martin said on Twitter that he was dismissed because he asked for his release.

Leach had a different version of events, telling reporters Sunday that he “cut” Martin from the team before he asked for his release.

Asked for clarification, Leach told the Seattle Times he removed Martin from the team on Nov. 28.

Martin had previously been suspended for the Colorado game on Oct. 21, but returned to action for the final four regular season games of the season. The Times reported he was ultimately removed from the team for missing a team activity:

Two different sources with knowledge of the situation told The Seattle Times Sunday that while Martin Jr. did lose his temper in the locker room after the Cal game, he was suspended for the Colorado game primarily for missing a team activity, and was, at the time, warned that if he missed team activities again, he would be cut.

Toward the end of November, Martin Jr. again missed a team activity, and that ultimately led to his dismissal, sources said. The receiver’s father said Sunday that his son overslept and missed a meeting two weeks ago, but that Martin Jr. had already requested his release prior to this incident.

Martin Jr., a high school teammate of Johnson-Mack, apparently received the same unfair transfer restrictions from Leach, his father told the Times:

Martin Sr. said his son was told that he wouldn’t be allowed to transfer to any Division I football program in Florida.

Leach “stated T.J. wouldn’t be playing football at (the) Division I (level) because he controls T.J.’s release form,” Martin Sr. said. “He signed the paper but stipulated T.J. can’t go to Florida schools. That’s not fair. This is where he’s from. This is where all our family lives. He’s a Division I product. Why you gonna rip my son like that? I thought (Leach) was a pretty nice coach. But now we’re seeing a different side.”

The Cougars, without Martin and Johnson-Mack, will play Michigan State in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 28.

– – – – – – –

Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!