Rashaad Norwood of KSU arrested for Arguing

Rashaad Jermaine Norwood, junior in sociology and tight end for the K-State football team, was arrested Sunday by the K-State Police on charges of obstructing the legal process and disorderly conduct, Lt. Michael Quintanar of the Riley County Police Department said.

The K-State Department of Intercollegiate Athletics had no comment but said coach Ron Prince will speak on the matter at his press conference today.

Norwood was arrested shortly after midnight Sunday in the K-State Student Union parking lot.

"He did not fight the officers," Capt. Richard Herrman of the campus police said.Norwood was part of two small groups in the south Union parking lot who were bantering back and forth, Herrman said. When officers arrived, he refused to cooperate, and the campus police had to physically put him in the police car, Herrman said.

Norwood's passive resistance led to the obstruction charge, Herrman said.The charges of disorderly conduct stemmed from Norwood's refusal to stop shouting obscenities at another person after officers arrived.

Norwood's first court appearance will be 8 a.m. Oct. 3.

The junior tight end is the Wildcats' leading receiver this season with 13 receptions for 143 yards. In his two previous years at K-State, Norwood had a total of 14 receptions.

UNC backup Punter stabs starter in the leg

The backup punter at Northern Colorado has been arrested on suspicion of stabbing his teammate -- the starting punter -- in the kicking leg.
The motive may have been competition for the first-string job, police said Wednesday.
Mitch Cozad was accused of attacking punter Rafael Mendoza in a parking lot Monday night, Evans police Lt. Gary Kessler said.
Mendoza was treated and released from the North Colorado Medical Center Monday night. Coach Scott Downing said Mendoza will not punt in Saturday's game at Texas State University.
"I guess the only identified motive at this point in time is the competition for that position," Kessler said Wednesday.
The stabbing took place in Evans, a small town adjacent to Greeley and about 50 miles north of Denver.
The Greeley Tribune first reported the story in Wednesday's editions.
Cozad was suspended from school and from the team, university officials said in a news release. They did not immediately return calls from The Associated Press but scheduled a news conference later Wednesday.
Kessler said Cozad, a sophomore, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of second-degree assault. He remained in jail as of Wednesday morning, and it was not immediately known whether he had an attorney.
Kessler said Mendoza was attacked from behind and stabbed in his right thigh after parking his car outside his Evans apartment Monday night.
The assailant fled in a black Dodge Charger, Kessler said. About 10 minutes after the attack, a liquor store clerk told police that two men in a car matching that description stopped outside the store, stripped tape off the license plate and drove away.
The clerk gave police the license number and the car was traced to Cozad, Kessler said.
Mendoza, a junior, has averaged 37.6 yards per punt on nine punts in the two games this season.
Downing told the Greeley Tribune he had not spoken to Rafael's doctor and did not know how long he would be out.

South Carolina QB Arrested

South Carolina starting quarterback Blake Mitchell was arrested for assault Wednesday after apparently punching another man in the eye and has been suspended from the team, according to police and a Gamecocks spokesman.
Richland County jail officials said Mitchell, 21, was being booked into the facility for simple assault, a misdemeanor.
Mitchell was suspended indefinitely from the team by coach Steve Spurrier, according to athletic department spokesman Steve Fink.
A Columbia police report said Mitchell was involved in an incident early Wednesday at a bar near the university.
The complainant, listed as Kylan Ertzberger, told police Mitchell approached him about 1:45 a.m. and "initiated a verbal confrontation."
As Ertzberger turned away, Mitchell "punched him in his left eye," according to the report.
The report said Ertzberger told Mitchell "he did not like that the subject tried to enter (the bar) with underage girls." That's when the confrontation took place.
Police arrived at the scene about 30 minutes later, the report said.
Ertzberger is not a member of the football team, and Fink did not think Ertzberger was part of any athletic team.
A message left for Ertzberger was not immediately returned.
Mitchell, a junior, came to South Carolina before the 2003 season and had started 11 games last season and both contests this year.
On Spurrier's weekly radio show before the Gamecocks' opener at Mississippi State on Aug. 31, the coach said Mitchell has a chance to surprise a lot of people and become the all-Southeastern Conference quarterback this fall.
Mitchell and the offense, though, have struggled. He has completed 28 of 44 passes for 247 yards with one interception and no touchdowns.
The Gamecocks take on Wofford this Saturday.

Thug Factor

A running total of charges filed against college athletes. Each offense is weighted and calculated to determine the schools "Thug Factor".

I have just started to compile these stats, so everyone started with a clean slate... there was no attempt to include any of the criminals from the past... who has the time to keep up with all of that?

Colorado State - 9
Texas - 6
Maryland - 6
USC - 4
MTSU - 4
San Jose State - 3
Auburn - 1
Marshall - 1

Maryland Football player charged with Assault and Sex Offense

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - A Maryland football player faces misdemeanor charges stemming from an incident last October at a College Park bar.
Charging documents say starting strong safety Marcus Wimbush is charged with two counts of second-degree assault and a fourth-degree sex offense. Wimbush was charged in March for the alleged offenses October 31st at the Cornerstone Grill and Loft.
His lawyer, Keith Hiller, says the charges are not related to a fight at the bar that night that involved a group of Maryland players. That fight resulted in a one-game suspension for four players and sanctions against others for violating team rules.
Court documents say Wimbush allegedly grabbed a woman's buttocks. When she told him to stop, he allegedly grabbed the neck of a woman who intervened.
His trial is set for January 26th

Marshall the university of choice for criminals kicked off other teams...

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A player kicked off Tennessee's football team has transferred to Marshall three weeks after his arrest on drunken driving charges.
Freshman tight end Lee Smith is the latest player to land at Marshall after being dismissed elsewhere.
Smith, who practiced with the Thundering Herd on Thursday, has to sit out one season due to NCAA transfer rules, said Marshall sports information director Randy Burnside. Smith, 18, was arrested Aug. 2, a few days before the start of preseason practice, after a Tennessee campus police officer saw him driving on the sidewalk.

Marshall FB player arrested for DUI, Obstruction, Leaving the scene of an accident

HUNTINGTON -- Details about the arrest of a Marshall University football player who was charged Friday with driving under the influence were made available to the public Tuesday.
Hiram Moore, 21, a senior wide receiver for the Thundering Herd who is from Huntington, was arrested Saturday at about 11:35 p.m. after the Mercedes he was driving wrecked into an unmarked police cruiser in front of the Huntington Police Department in the 600 block of 10th Street.
When several officers approached the vehicle, the driver tried to pull away but got stuck on a curb on the east side of 10th Street, according to the police report.
The officers told the man to exit the car and ordered him to the ground several times before he complied. While on the ground, the driver placed his left hand under his waistband after being told to keep his hands in plain view, according to the report.
The driver was given a breathalyzer test after officers noticed he had glassy eyes and slurred speech. His blood-alcohol content was .129, above the legal limit of .10.
Moore was arrested for DUI, obstructing, leaving the scene of an accident and driving on a suspended license, all misdemeanors. His license was suspended in November 2005, for unpaid citations according to the report.
Marshall coach Mark Snyder suspended Moore for Saturday's season-opener at West Virginia. Moore led Marshall wide receivers last season with 53 catches for 630 yards and four touchdowns.

Two Middle Tennessee State players arrested on Gun charges

A fall court date has been set for two MTSU football players arrested in July on charges of underage drinking and handgun possession. The Blue Raider offensive linemen Franklin Dunbar, Jr. and Darrell Howard will appear in General Sessions Court Oct. 2.

They were arrested July 23 after a fight broke out at Elk Lodge on Halls Hill Pike.The impending trial has not affected the morale of the team, according to head football coach Rick Stockstill."We disciplined them on the information that we have at this point," Stockstill said. "It's not something that we're taking lightly in any form or fashion."

Mark Owens, who handles media relations for MTSU football, said Dunbar and Howard's reprimand included running laps beginning at 6:00 a.m. As of now, they will be playing in today's game against Florida International. Stockstill doesn't think that the incident will have an "ill effect" on the team's ability to perform, and that they will be moving forward as planned for the 2006-2007 season.

As previously reported by Sidelines, a party at Elk Lodge started become disorderly around 1:40 a.m., and gunshots were fired. The arrest took place at 3:04 a.m. in the parking lot of Neely's market. Deputy W. Lehew, from Rutherford County Sheriff's Department, found a loaded .40-caliber handgun on the passenger side of the car Dunbar and Howard occupied.

According to the police report, Dunbar was also charged with disorderly conduct after not submitting to the officer's demands, and the report stated that a witness saw a black male walking to the trunk of a white compact car before the shooting occurred. Neither Dunbar nor Howard have been implicated in the shooting.

Four other, non-MTSU students were also arrested on gun possession during the incident, said Travis Smith, media director of Crime Stoppers.Howard told Sidelines previously that the gun did not belong to him or the driver of the car, and that "nobody owned up to it so we all ended up in the holding cell."Feelings are mixed from the faculty and student body on how to handle the situation with the players."The football people are just part of regular society. There's a certain percentage of regular society who make mistakes.

The football players are just under a microscope," said Dr. Dave Whitaker, the director of the Horse Science Center.Senior journalism major Geoff Brashear said, "I guess it's a good thing they were caught. If they broke the law they broke the law and they should be punished. What's a football player doing with a gun?"Zane McKee, a senior in electronic media management said, "It's unfortunate but I would withhold punishment until the courts decide."Junior recording industry major Jillian Scott agrees that the players should be punished.

"I do think they should be on a restriction until the trial. I think that they shouldn't be allowed to play until the results of the trial.""They're supposed to be ambassadors for MTSU. They should be better representatives. Because of what they represent for us they should be held to higher standards," said Chris Jones, a senior Horse Science major.Dunbar is a sophomore from Waycross, Georgia and Howard is a sophomore from Covington, Georgia.

They will both be playing in tonight's game against Florida International in Floyd Stadium at 6 p.m. and will continue to play until the trial and the final verdict.

SJSU Football player faces Robbery Charges

San Jose State University football player Ellis Jones III has been charged with 13 felony counts related to a string of robberies in San Jose.According to the Mercury News, Jones allegedly used classified advertisements on Craigslist to lure robbery victims.

In the first case, on June 27, the Mercury News reported that Jones allegedly pretended he was selling a laptop computer to a Fremont man. Upon meeting him, Jones allegedly shocked the man with a stun gun and took the cash the man brought to buy the computer. Three other incidents allegedly occurred June 30.Jones already had been suspended by the SJSU football team for a previous arrest on robbery charges in Tulare County.

According to the Mercury News, Jones was charged with four counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery, four counts of assault with a stun gun, two counts of false imprisonment, one count of kidnapping in the commission of a robbery and one count of second degree burglary."

At SJSU, once a student athlete is charged with a felony, the student athlete is suspended from participating in all team-related activities," said SJSU Athletic Director Tom Bowen.Jones' scholarship for the 2006-07 academic year will not be renewed and SJSU's Student Judicial Affairs committee will determine his future status as a student.According to the SJSU Sports Information Department, before Jones' off-field troubles arose, Jones had a strong spring camp and was slated to be a contributor on the field for the Spartans in the fall.

"Ellis played very well in the spring drills," said Sports Information Director Lawrence Fan.As of August 21, Jones was still in custody in Tulare County awaiting trial on his previous robbery charges, according to the San Jose Police Department.

Once his crimes in Tulare County have been dealt with, Jones will be sent to San Jose to face his felony robbery charges for the string of June robberies."This young man has forfeited a tremendous opportunity. My thoughts and prayers are with his family," Bowen said.

UT Players also resisted Arrest...

The two Longhorn football players who face misdemeanor charges for possession of marijuana after their arrest early Monday morning were Tasered before being detained and may face charges for resisting arrest, said Travis County Sheriff Greg Hamilton at a press conference Wednesday.

Tarell Brown, starting cornerback, Tyrell Gatewood, reserve safety, and former linebacker Aaron Harris were driving north on Interstate Highway 35 when they were pulled over for swerving in and out of traffic, according to the arrest affidavit. Travis County deputies later found marijuana in Harris' vehicle and a loaded 9mm handgun in Brown's lap.

Hamilton would not comment about the actions Brown and Gatewood took to lead officers to Taser the two men.

"After reviewing all the reports and evidence in this case, I am comfortable that the actions taken were appropriate," Hamilton said.

Jamie Balagia, Gatewood and Brown's attorney, said that there was no provocation or reason for the Tasering.

"When they release the video tape, it will prove it," Balagia said.

Hamilton said that Balagia could access the video of the incident through a public information request.

According to the arrest affidavit, Brown and Gatewood were asleep in the vehicle before being woken and detained by deputies. Hamilton said that both men were Tasered while inside the vehicle.

Hamilton said that to take control of the situation, an intermediary weapon had to be used. He said he applauded the deputies for using a Taser instead of a more lethal weapon.

Balagia announced Wednesday that Brown and Gatewood both passed a drug test that was taken after their arrest.

The officers who Tasered Gatewood and Brown are still on active duty, Hamilton said.

Three Colorado State Players Arrested

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) -- Colorado State football coach Sonny Lubick says the three Rams players facing felony fraud charges made "silly mistakes" that have given his program a black eye.
"It doesn't make us look good," the 69-year-old coach said after a spirited practice Wednesday night in preparation for Saturday's showdown against archrival Colorado.
"We have for 13 or 14 years been pretty darn solid here, as solid and as good as any program in America," Lubick said. "I'd put us up in America with anybody, including Stanford and Duke."
Prosecutors said they have arrest warrants for seven people, including three current and two former members of the football team, as part of a fraud and forgery investigation dating to last year.
"There has been an ongoing criminal investigation since November into bank fraud, and it went to a grand jury in February," said Linda Jensen, a spokeswoman for Larimer County prosecutors. "These are not indictments from a grand jury. These are charges that we have filed."
The felony charges range from forgery to theft to identity theft. Jensen said she could not detail the allegations because the warrants have been sealed by a judge as the investigation continues.
Lubick suspended the three players who were accused of the crimes: Robert Herbert, a senior cornerback from Alta Loma, Calif., who lost his starting job to sophomore Joey Rucks this season; and redshirt freshmen Micah Crews, a defensive back from Englewood and Brian Abata, a defensive lineman from Denver.
"Right now they're finished," Lubick said. "Most of this might be out of my hands anyway."
Athletic director Paul Kowalczyk said that if the players were eventually exonerated, they could be allowed back on the team providing they're not expelled from school.
Kowalczyk, who's been on the job for four months, said he felt bad for Lubick.
"I know that as a head coach he feels somewhat responsible because he's recruited them and talked about trying to get them a good experience here and make them better young men," Kowalczyk said. "And that's what hurts the most, I think. I feel really bad for Sonny.
"This is a guy who's built up a reputation for 13 years of running a clean program, doing the right thing and really being above it all. And then we've got a few young men who have made a mistake and it hurts his reputation, it hurts the institution. I think that's the unfortunate part."
Herbert, who started 23 times in his collegiate career, did not start Saturday in CSU's win over Weber State.
The charges came as Colorado State prepares for Saturday's showdown with rival Colorado in Denver. The Colorado program has been rocked by off-field allegations over the past few years, ranging from allegations of sexual assault by football players to claims by authorities that alcohol is used to entice recruits to the Boulder campus.
So, they've endured their share of off-the-field troubles and they weren't gloating over the turn of events.
"I'm not happy to hear about that at all," Colorado center Mark Fenton said. "Hopefully it doesn't disrupt their team and they can move beyond that."
Said Buffaloes wide receiver Dusty Sprague: "We're all human; it can happen anywhere."
Lubick said the accused players were all good kids who made a mistake and that the two freshmen were simply naive: "A couple of guys made a couple of bad decisions here."
Lubick said he knew about the investigation for a year and cooperated with authorities who wanted help in identifying a black player who was seen on videotape illegally using an ATM card. He said he interviewed all his black players and nobody came forward to say they were involved in the alleged criminal activity.
All of the current and former Rams players who were allegedly involved are black.
When Lubick didn't hear anything for months, he said he figured there was nothing to the matter "and today was a shock." He said he was particularly surprised to learn Herbert was allegedly involved and he met with all three of the accused players in his office Wednesday morning and suggested they turn themselves in.
He also gathered his team before practice in the afternoon to talk about the arrests.
"They were all very saddened because they like these guys and if we had kept them on the football team I think they would be OK with that. But I said that's out of my hands," Lubick said. "And I just said we make silly mistakes and if you make mistakes you can come to one of your coaches ... That's hard for young people to do, I guess. They wouldn't have done it if they thought they were going to get caught."

Auburn CB Pitts leaving team after DUI

AUBURN, Ala. - Senior cornerback Montavis Pitts, who was arrested last month in Tuskegee on a drunk-driving charge, said he will leave Auburn for a "fresh start" at another school and apologized for making "a mistake."

Pitts, a Loachapoka native, played in 40 games during his Auburn career, making 106 tackles.
In a statement Thursday on the transfer, coach Tommy Tuberville described Pitts as a "key contributor" to Auburn's football program. He said Pitts played "an important role as a starter during our perfect season in 2004."
Tuberville thanked Pitts for his contributions and extended best wishes for him.
Issuing an apology to teammates, coaches and Auburn fans, Pitts said, "I made a mistake and have decided that I need to get a fresh start and begin somewhere else." The statement did not say where Pitts' plans to transfer.
He said the transfer is "in my best interest for my football career, both now and the future."
Pitts struggled to adjust during his redshirt year in 2002, briefly leaving the team to pursue a career as a rap artist.
He was suspended for the season opener in 2004 for an undisclosed violation of team rules, but went on to start in every other game of the 13-0 season. Pitts played opposite first-round NFL pick Carlos Rogers, so he was frequently targeted by opposing quarterbacks.

USC Backup QB Sanchez Arrested

USC Backup QB Sanchez Arrested... all new meaning to the term "Dirty Sanchez"

LOS ANGELES -- Southern California backup quarterback Mark Sanchez was arrested after a female student reported that he sexually assaulted her earlier Wednesday, police said.
Sanchez, 19, was arrested around 4 p.m. just north of campus and was being booked for investigation of sexual assault, officer Jason Lee said.
No other details were immediately available.
USC officials said they will temporarily suspend Sanchez while police conduct their investigation.
"The university takes charges of sexual assault seriously," Michael Jackson, USC vice president of student affairs, said in a statement. "Depending on the facts as established by the LAPD, we will determine the appropriate action."
USC coach Pete Carroll said he was aware of Sanchez's arrest and that the Trojans football program would cooperate with police and "follow along with whatever action the university takes."
Sanchez is listed on the Trojans' depth chart as the backup to John David Booty, but was expected to battle for the starting job this fall. Booty practiced only once this spring before he injured his back and had to undergo surgery.
Sanchez, a redshirt freshman, played the recent spring scrimmage and has been practicing with the first unit.
His arrest was the latest of several brushes with the law for USC players, dating back to last year.
Cornerback Eric Wright was arrested in March 2005 at a campus apartment by officers investigating reports of an assault. The Los Angeles district attorney's office declined to press criminal charges against Wright because of insufficient evidence.
Wright left USC amid possible disciplinary action by the school and transferred to UNLV.
Linebacker Rey Maualuga was arrested Nov. 1 for allegedly punching a man at an off-campus party, but no criminal charges were filed. He sat out the first half of the game against Stanford the following weekend as punishment.

University of Texas Arrests under Mack Brown

September 2006 Longhorns Tarell Brown, Tyrell Gatewood, and former player Aaron Harris are arrested on drug charges.

May 2006 Former Texas running back Ramonce Taylor was arrested in Bell County on the charge of possession of marijuana. He is awaiting trial. Taylor had already been dropped from the team.

December 2005 Austin police investigated Longhorn players Cedric Griffin and Ramonce Taylor after an assault and robbery near Sixth St. on Dec. 10. The two players were not charged. Head coach Mack Brown said some players violated curfew and were disciplined.

October 2003 Cedric Benson was charged with criminal trespassing. Benson pleaded no contest and served his sentence.

May 2003 Four players, including Aaron Harris, Larry Dibbles and Selvin Young, were arrested for possession of marijuana. Those charges were later dropped.

January 2000 Four players, including Kwame Cavil and Aaron Humphrey were suspended from the team for violating unspecified team rules. Texas would lose the Cotton Bowl to Arkansas.

Two players arrested on drug, weapon charges
By Jimmy Burch
McClatchy Newspapers
(MCT)
AUSTIN, Texas - Tarell Brown, Texas' starting cornerback, was arrested Monday on misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession and unlawful carrying of a weapon, making it unclear if he will be available for Saturday's game against top-ranked Ohio State.
Brown and teammate Tyrell Gatewood, a reserve safety, were arrested at 2:48 a.m. Monday in the 7700 block of Interstate 35, along with former Longhorns player Aaron Harris. All three were charged with marijuana possession of two ounces or less, a Class B misdemeanor, according to the arrest report issued by the Travis County Sheriff's Office.
Brown, a senior who has started the past 13 games for the Longhorns, also was charged with a Class A misdemeanor for unlawful carrying of a weapon. All three were released on bond.
The weapons charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $4,000 fine. Maximum punishment for the marijuana charge is 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Texas coach Mack Brown issued a statement Monday, saying that Tarell Brown and Gatewood will be held out of "all team functions as we gather as much information as possible before making a team decision" on internal disciplinary actions. In 2003, Coach Brown suspended tailback Cedric Benson for one game when Benson was charged with criminal trespassing during the week of the Baylor contest.
If Tarell Brown is not in the lineup when the third-ranked Longhorns seek to extend college football's longest active winning streak (21 games), his place probably will be taken by either Brandon Foster or Ryan Palmer. Foster and Palmer played at Arlington Bowie High School.
Jamie Balagia, an attorney representing Tarell Brown and Gatewood, said he is optimistic his clients will be cleared when all facts of the case are presented. Balagia said Harris told the arresting officer that the marijuana belonged to him. The 9 mm handgun found in Tarell Brown's lap belongs to Gatewood, who has a permit and uses it for target shooting, Balagia said. In addition, Balagia said Tarell Brown and Gatewood took voluntary drug tests Monday to confirm there was no marijuana in their systems.
Gene Chizik, Texas' defensive coordinator, said he expects "a very focused team" against Ohio State regardless of whether Tarell Brown is one of the Longhorns available to cover the Buckeyes' All-American receiver, Ted Ginn Jr.
"One thing that's awesome about being at the University of Texas is you do have . . . great depth," Chizik said. "We really don't have to address those issues very often, and we feel the same way right now."
Strong safety Michael Griffin said Texas players are used to performing at a high level in big games "regardless of distractions " and that he expects Monday's arrests to have "zero effect" on Saturday's bottom line.
Monday's arrest was triggered, according to the arrest affidavit, when an officer spotted a car driven by Harris swerving from lane to lane northbound on I-35. The other passengers were asleep at the time. After the vehicle was stopped, Harris passed three field sobriety tests but volunteered that he'd been smoking marijuana.
Upon check-in at the jail, officers found an additional .7 grams of marijuana in Harris' front pocket.