College Football Player Owes Poker Debt to 80-Year-Old

MTSU’s star player is under investigation for an alleged poker debt to a veteran.

Dwight Dasher, the quarterback of the Middle Tennessee State University football team, led his team to a 10-3 record during his junior year and won the New Orleans Bowl MVP award. But now his senior year on the field is under question as the university investigates whether he borrowed money he couldn’t repay to play in underground poker games.

The alleged loan came from Oliver Donnell, an 80-year-old Air Force veteran and patient at the York Veterans Administration Medical Center. Dasher first met Donnell while visiting a friend of his who works as a nurse at the center. Donnell says he originally loaned Dasher $300 to play poker, and when the quarterback lost that money he loaned him another $300. Dasher’s fortunes rose and fell but in the end he ultimately lost and went back to the veteran for more loans.

When his debt reached $900, Donnell says he asked for collateral. Dasher then allegedly stole checks from his teammate Colin Boss, crossed out Boss’ name and replaced it with his own, and wrote out a check to Donnell. Those checks were void once the name was crossed out. The losses piled up until Dasher owed $1,500, at which point he stopped returning Donnell’s phone calls.

Donnell says he’s been gambling for 72 of his 80 years, and from his comments it’s clear that he understands the old adage about not knocking on the fish tank. “I don’t want the boy to get in trouble,” he said. “I want him to play pro ball somewhere and get a contract, so I can go out there and beat him (in a poker game) and get my money back.”

No charges of any sort have been filed against Dwight Dasher, who continues to work out with his team. Middle Tennessee State begins its college football season on September 2 against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.