Utah State returner JoJo Natson dismissed from team


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LOGAN — Utah State wide receiver and punt returner JoJo Natson has been dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules, the university announced Sunday night.

Head coach Matt Wells announced the dismissal in a news release late Sunday night.

"We are extremely disappointed anytime we have to make a decision regarding the future of one of our student-athletes," Wells said in a statement. "We will continue to support JoJo as he moves forward in his career."

Utah State did not comment further on Natson's dismissal, but he was arrested last summer on charges of theft for allegedly diverting school funds intended for a fellow teammate. He pleaded guilty to the charges, which were reduced to a Class C misdeamor for which he spent a night in jail, paid a fine and served his probation.

Natson was also suspended shortly before kickoff of the Aggies' game at Hawaii last November for a violation of team rules.

The 5-foot-7, 151-pound Natson was a mainstay through three seasons with the Aggies, playing in 39 games that including 19 starts and earning 2015 pre-season fourth-team All-American honors as a punt returner by Phil Steele's Magazine.

As a junior, the shifty return man was a first-team all-Mountain West punt returner, scoring two punt-return touchdowns to finish tied for third in the nation with the most in the conference. His 11.7 yards per return were good enough for 10th in the country, and he averaged 99.6 all-purpose yards per game.

Natson, who would have been a senior this fall, finished his Utah State career with 127 receptions for 1,031 yards and five receiving touchdowns, ranking 11th in school history in total receptions.

The Aggies open the 2015 season Sept. 3 against Southern Utah.

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