Linemankicked off team

Senior Anthony Oakley, an eight-game starter for IU last season, is no longer with the football team. Oakley was dismissed from the squad two weeks ago after failing to meet a time coach Gerry DiNardo set for him in the shuttle run, Assistant Media Relations Director Gavin Lang said. \n"He didn't pass the shuttle test," Lang said. "He had an agreement with coach DiNardo. They made this agreement months ago. He had plenty of time to prepare for it. He is no longer practicing with the team."\nOakley said he didn't agree with the requirement, particularly because he said he was the only one who had to pass it before the spring, a move he called "discriminatory." \n"(DiNardo) told me 'If you don't pass the shuttle before spring I'll have to dismiss you," Oakley said. "I didn't agree. Then he was like 'Come on, if you don't pass it, you'll be off the team.' I was like 'This is your team, you can do what you want.' I went along with it because he's the head coach, but I didn't agree with it."\nWhen he didn't run a fast enough time, Oakley said DiNardo pulled him aside and told him he was dismissed.\nAfter the dismissal, Oakley said he told a few teammates, all of whom were surprised by the move.\n"They were shocked," he said. "Everybody knows it wasn't fair. I was supposed to get until August." \nOakley, a 6-2, 294-pound former All-Big Ten honorable mention, was to have been one of IU's only eight seniors on next year's squad. \nIn a press conference prior to the first spring practice, DiNardo stressed the importance of conditioning to improve on a team that finished 3-9 last season.\n"The first step is always conditioning because you can't play the game if you're not conditioned," he said. "You can't get stronger without the ability to run."\nOakley likened his situation to that of former Wisconsin and now Chicago Bear lineman Aaron Gibson. \n"After practice, coach (Barry) Alvarez would walk around the track with him, he didn't have to run," Oakley said. "He had faith in him and knew he was a football player, not a track player. Coach just kept on with him because he knew he could play football. Now, he's in the NFL"