More news is coming out of BYU regarding the transfer of Michael Loyd. There was no Honor Code violation, but there was a set of differences between Loyd and the University and the basketball team. Loyd is transferring because he was released from his scholarship and if up to Loyd he would be staying at BYU. That is a big difference from what was said earlier where Loyd was transferring because he was 'uncomfortable' and did not 'fit in' at BYU
Here is the reason coach Dave Rose gave about Loyd:
"The situation with Mike basically came down to accountability issues and responsibility issues, and things that we had discussed many times. "When it came right down to it, we just felt that the direction that we were going as a team and as a program, and the things that we felt were really, really important. ... Mike struggled with some of those issues," Rose said. "So the best thing for us to do was kinda go in different directions. And that is kind of how it happened."
The quotes are misleading since Rose had previously said that the removal from the team and transfer were mutual, but Loyd has recently come out and say that he wanted to stay at BYU. Loyd was not in trouble with the Honor Code and had was not academically ineligible, but he did have trouble with academics.
"How do I put this?" Loyd said. "School is hard for me. I was released more for academics [than any other reason], I would say. There is a lot of stress on me. It is a tough school, a great school. ... It took a lot of work, a lot of time. It was a constant struggle for me to be eligible."
However, Loyd is still confused exactly why he was removed from the team:
"I am still fuzzy about all the reasons I got released," he said. "It might be just little things. It might be they are tired [of dealing] with me. Because I feel like the school is very strongly based on religion, and the [honor] code. They try not to give anybody any leeway. I know they care about the [basketball] program, and I have proven myself on the court. But they obviously care more about what they stand for than basketball."
Loyd also talks about the perceived notion that he was not fitting in at BYU:
No. Not at all. [The culture at BYU] wasn't too much for me. Maybe people thought it was, but it wasn't. I mean it is not that tough for me. Like I said, it wasn't entirely my choice [to leave]."
Those other issues of having to deal with Loyd refer back to him having the mohawk in the NCAA tournament, the tongue piercing, or the way he wears his pants. Currently Loyd is considering going to a division two school where he can play right away with two years left, go to a division one school where he would have to sit out a year with a year to play, or look into professional play overseas.
If he plans to go to a division one program look for Oregon to be a location for Loyd since his younger brother recently signed with the Ducks.