Phil Tuihalamaka’s football career at Kansas University lasted one game.
KU’s Registrar’s Office said Tuesday that the junior defensive tackle had withdrawn from classes.
The Jayhawks also won’t have the services of offensive lineman Alan Erving. The Chaffey College sophomore signed a letter of intent with KU in December and was expected to transfer for the spring session. The Registrar’s Office said Erving had applied for admission, but never enrolled.
Tuihalamaka (6-foot-3, 323 pounds) struggled with his weight and injuries and played in only one game in 2003.
He was the source of numerous transfer rumors throughout the season, but he returned to Lawrence for the second semester and was enrolled in classes until this week.
San Bernardino Valley College interim coach Ken Blumenthal told the Journal-World last week that Tuihalamaka had told him he was returning to KU and wasn’t interested in transferring.
“I guess that was just a smokescreen,” Blumenthal said Monday night.
Tuihalamaka, who could not be reached for comment, was an all-conference selection at San Bernardino. His departure means that all three of the junior-college defensive linemen in last year’s recruiting class are no longer with the team. Defensive end Monroe Weekley and tackle Chuck Jones both left the team at the end of the regular season and did not make the trip to the Tangerine Bowl.
Of the 13 junior-college transfers in last year’s recruiting class, six no longer are on the team. Offensive linemen Johnny Urrutia and Richard Estrella left KU before the season because of academic problems, and defensive back Markeith Childress also failed to qualify.
Erving’s plans also were undone by academic trouble.
“I think he’s a decent student, but he had a correspondence class he didn’t get done in time or didn’t get done to KU’s satisfaction,” Chaffey College coach Carl Beach said.
It’s possible Erving could complete his junior-college degree during the spring and transfer to a four-year school in the fall. It appears unlikely that school will be Kansas, which revoked its scholarship offer when Erving failed to graduate at semester.
“I think they will probably go with someone else if they have to,” Beach said. “Getting people at mid-year is so critical.”
Kansas must replace senior tackles Danny Lewis and Adrian Jones. The Jayhawks have oral commitments from three high school offensive linemen, who are expected to deliver their letters of intent today on national signing day.