The New Orleans Saints released running back Deuce McAllister on Tuesday after eight record-setting seasons and countless memories both on and off the field.McAllister is the Saints’ all-time leader in rushing yards (6,069), total touchdowns (55), rushing touchdowns (49) and 100-yard rushing games (27). He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2002 and 2003.But after tearing both of his anterior cruciate ligaments since        October 2005 and being due more than $7 million next season, McAllister is no longer a member of the team that drafted him.Student opinions are mixed as to whether releasing one of the most popular players in Saints’ history was the right move.”It was inevitable,” said Ryan Thompson, political science freshman. “Deuce was a great asset to the franchise for a while, but in the end, he just got cast away by players like Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush and Aaron Stecker. We didn’t really need him as much.”With Stecker on injured reserve for the majority of last season, Thomas carried the bulk of the load with 129 carries. McAllister got 107 carries in 13 games, and Bush got 106 in 10 games.Amar Cumurovic, civil engineering freshman, said it was time for McAllister to go.”I like Deuce, but he’s old,” Cumurovic said. “He’s got two knee surgeries, and he can’t do it anymore.”While the injuries may have factored into the release, Kyle Richard, biological engineering sophomore, thinks money had a lot to do with it.”Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister both wanted a lot of money,” Richard said. “You can’t have both on a franchise team.”Thompson said the cap space for the Saints was a major cause for McAllister and the organization parting ways.”He was expendable because the cap situation was a concern for the team,” Thompson said. “In the end, he knows it’s a business.”Whitnei Williams, communication studies senior, thinks loyalty should have played a bigger role in the Saints’ decision.”It’s unfortunate that he had to be released,” said Williams. “I know a lot of fans are going to be upset.”Some fans were a little more vocal about the decision.”I’m pretty pissed off about it,” said Peter Russo, French and international studies senior. “I don’t know who they’re going to get to replace Deuce. He’s a legend.”Russo thinks this isn’t the first mistake the Saints management has made recently.”They’ve been messing up for a few years,” Russo said. “Once they let [former general manager] Randy Mueller go, that was their first mistake.”Though bitter about the situation, Russo isn’t surprised.”The coach [Sean Payton] is  going in a different direction,” Russo said. “I kind of saw this coming the whole time. I think most people did.”Richard said he thinks McAllister will retire, while Russo thinks he’ll play somewhere else in the league. Cumurovic said the most McAllister can get is a one-year deal, but Thompson thinks it’s possible McAllister could come back to the team that let him go.”I think Deuce really likes the Gulf Coast,” Thompson said. “Maybe he can renegotiate with the Saints and see if he can take a pay cut.”Even fans who thought it may be time for McAllister’s departure said the release is bittersweet.”It’s sad to see him go,” Richard said. “It will affect the fans more than the team.”—-Contact Rowan Kavner at [email protected]