Royce was suspended, not kicked off the team. He had been suspended indefinitely along with two other players and according to the Star Tribune, Coach Smith was quoted that "the door was still open for him to return to play." When Royce's legal issues were resolved, the AD preferred that the indefinite suspension continue. Royce asked for his release and it was granted. You are right that the NCAA has no reason to do Royce a favor, but if the NCAA looks carefully at the handling of this issue, MN might have a bigger problem on their hands than just the $1.2+ million lawsuit they lost to their former Assistant Coach, Jimmy Williams. GO CYCLONES!!!