Oregon State rescinds scholarship offer to JC running back after arrest on suspicion of attempted murder

Published Jun. 17, 2023, 3:36 p.m. By Nick Daschel | The Oregonian/OregonLive A running back who verbally committed to Oregon State and expected to join the 2023 roster has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Brandon Smith, a transfer from Santa Barbara City College, was one of four people arrested after an incident on June 2 in Santa Barbara, Calif. According to KSBY.com, Smith and three others were involved in a fight near a neighborhood community pool that left a 20-year-old man with serious injuries. Smith, who went to high school in Illinois and played two years at Santa Barbara CC, committed to Oregon State on June 2, hours before the incident took place. Smith had visited Oregon State the previous weekend. A school official told The Oregonian/OregonLive that once OSU learned of the incident, it rescinded the scholarship offer. Smith and three others were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, robbery and conspiracy, all felonies. Smith remains in a Santa Barbara County jail, at a bail of $2.1 million. According to the Santa Barbara County sheriff’s office, detectives do not believe the incident was a random attack, as the suspects and victim knew each other. According to the KSBY.com report, the victim was hospitalized and is expected to survive.