Tribute to the Texas Longhorns

As a tribute to the Texas Longhorns, the Criminal Athletes blog has converted our colors from Black to UT Burnt Orange.



Yet another Longhorn was arrested today bringing the total to 6 since June. Which by the way, is two more then Colt McCoy has touchdown passes and two more then the entire team has rushing touchdowns. Give the Horns credit though, they have played powerhouses like Arkansas State and Central Florida.

Mack Brown had this to say about the situation:

"I am really proud of the Texas football program and all it has stood for during our 10 years in Austin," Brown said in his statement. "We've built a great program within the rules with a foundation of integrity, hard work, academic commitment and winning. We unfortunately had a number of student-athletes who have been accused of making poor decisions this past summer, with James' situation joining that group.

"Young people who do not obey the law, University or team rules will continue to be disciplined with a stern hand and we will move forward. We continue to have a zero tolerance policy in that regard. That said, I will put our long-term record of character up against anyone and that's why these situations upset me so much."

Let's review the Longhorns legal problems.

James Henry - Obstruction, Suspended indefinitely - RB with no carries in the first 3 games.

Tyrell Gatewood - Drugs, Suspended indefinitely - DB with 2 tackles in 2 games this year and a total of 12 tackles all of 2006.

Dre Jones - Aggravated Robbery, Suspended indefinitely - True Freshman, not expected to contribute.

Robert Joseph - Aggravated Robbery, Suspended indefinately - Has left the team because of an earlier incident.

Sergio Kindle - DUI, 3 Game Suspension - Recorded 21 tackles and 4 tackles for a loss in 2006, expected to compete for a starting position.

Henry Melton - DUI, 3 Game Suspension - Converted from RB and was expected to start in 2007.

So let's recap the situation... three players that probably would not have contributed to the team this year are suspended indefinitly, two probable starters are both suspended for three cupcake games. So much for Mack's "Zero Tolerance" policy.

6th Longhorn Arrested Since June

Texas freshman running back James Henry has been charged with two felony counts of obstruction and tampering with evidence, making him the sixth Longhorns player arrested since June.

Henry, who was arrested Monday, is accused of beating up one of the victims of a July home invasion that allegedly involved two other players, Andre Jones and Robert Joseph.

Henry was booked into Travis County Jail where his bail was set at $30,000. He was suspended indefinitely from the team, coach Mack Brown said Tuesday.

Henry, who redshirted last season, has played in two games on special teams for the No. 7 Longhorns (3-0).

Austin police learned of Henry's involvement by listening to taped recordings of Joseph's phone calls from jail, said Det. Anthony Bigongiari.

During the investigation of the robbery, one of the victims told police that some of Joseph's friends had assaulted them. In one of the taped phone calls, Henry said he "went over there and whupped" one of the victims, who told police they were thrown on the ground and punching and kicked in the head several times, Bigongiari said.

Henry, who did not participate in the robbery, was charged with tampering because police believe he disposed of a backpack containing items stolen in the home invasion, Bigongiari said.
Police also charged a third person, Eddie Ramirez, who is not a football player, with threatening the victims.

Brown said Henry would have been suspended earlier if the team had known the latest allegations.

"It's unfortunate that we have just been informed of the situation or we would have been able to address it when it allegedly occurred in July," Brown said.

Henry's arrest is the latest trouble for a program reeling under a string of arrests. On Monday, Brown reinstated linebacker Sergio Kindle and defensive end Henry Melton, who had been suspended for the first three games because of drunken driving arrests over the summer.
Last week, senior safety Tyrell Gatewood was suspended indefinitely after his arrest on drug charges. Freshman defensive back Ben Wells, who was riding with Gatewood when he was pulled over, was given a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia and released.
Jones remains suspended from the team. Joseph had already left the team before his July arrest because of an earlier incident.

Brown said he is disappointed that the arrests have embarrassed the program but challenged the notion that Texas is riddled with problems.

"Young people who do not obey the law, university or team rules will continue to be disciplined with a stern hand and we will move forward. We continue to have a zero tolerance policy in that regard," Brown said. "I will put our long-term record of character up against anyone, and that's why these situations upset me so much."

Pitt Player Arrested with Pot

University of Pittsburgh defensive end Joe Clermond was charged with possession of marijuana over the weekend, police said.
Clermond and another person were arrested Saturday night, police said. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for July 30.
Clermond, a redshirt junior, was second-team all-Big East last season after leading in tackles for loss.
E.J. Borghetti, the team's associate athletic director for media relations, declined comment, saying officials would "let the judicial process run its course."

Six Penn State Players Arrested after Fight

Six Penn State football players, including stars Anthony Scirrotto and Justin King, turned themselves in Friday to face charges that they barged into a party and started a violent fight at an off-campus apartment earlier this month.
Each player faces at least one felony count of criminal trespass. Scirrotto, a safety, faces the most serious charges, including two other felonies -- burglary and criminal solicitation.
Both current and former Penn State football players have had two serious run-ins with the law in 2007.
All six defendants were arraigned Friday and released on unsecured bail.
Police said Scirrotto and his girlfriend got into an altercation with three men on a street in State College and followed them to an apartment building. He called his brother and some friends to join him, but they weren't immediately let into the party, police said.
Scirrotto then called a teammate and met up with a group of players who also arrived at the party, authorities said.
A group of men, including all six players, then rushed into the apartment and a melee ensued, police said.
Some of the victims were punched, one was hit in the head with a beer bottle and knocked unconscious, and another was punched and kicked in the face, authorities said. At least five students were struck during the fight and at least two needed treatment at a hospital, authorities said.
Linebacker Jerome Hayes, who was among the six players charged, told police there was "chaos for five straight minutes" after the players rushed into the apartment early on April 1 to get revenge on Scirrotto's behalf.
"You got to do what you got to do," he told police, according to the arrest affidavit. "We went down to protect."
Penn State's judicial affairs office will review the allegations to determine whether the students violated the school's code of conduct, university spokesman Bill Mahon said. He could not say how long it would take to complete the review.
In a statement issued by the athletic department, coach Joe Paterno said the football staff was concerned about the accusations "and will determine the appropriate consequence for each player's status on the team when due process has transpired."
Spring practice has ended, and no further official team activities are scheduled until preseason practice begins in early August, an athletic department spokesman said.
Scirrotto was the Big Ten's leader last year in interceptions and King was one of Paterno's top recruits in 2005.
Christopher Baker, a defensive tackle, was charged with two felony counts -- burglary and criminal trespass -- plus four related charges. Baker faces more serious charges because he was the only one who police were certain had thrown punches, the State College police chief said.
Lydell Sargeant, a cornerback; Tyrell Sales, a linebacker; King; and Hayes each was charged with one felony -- criminal trespass -- plus two related counts.
Ron McGlaughlin, who represents King and Hayes, called his clients "peacemakers," saying they didn't assault anyone and tried to defuse the situation. McGlaughlin said he would try to get the charges dropped.
"You go in to get people out and say 'Stop, stop this, we've got to go,' and all of a sudden you are facing criminal charges," he said. "Just because you're inside and there is a bunch of pushing and shoving doesn't mean you're a part of any of that."
Stacy Parks Miller, an attorney for Sales, said: "Right now, everything is just an accusation." Sargeant's attorney, Karen Muir, said only that she and her client planned to discuss the details of the case.
Scirrotto's attorney did not immediately return a call.
Two other men, neither of whom is an athlete, were charged with less serious offenses stemming from Scirrotto's initial argument on the street, which happened late on March 31, police said.
Most of the people involved in the apartment fight had been drinking, said the police chief, Thomas R. King. Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira said there were dozens of people in a hallway outside the apartment, but that authorities decided not to charge anyone who didn't go inside.

Two UT players suspended for "cupcake" games

Texas defensive end Henry Melton and linebacker Sergio Kindle will miss the first three games of the 2007 season after being charged in separate DWI cases over the summer.
Kindle and Melton will miss games against Arkansas State, TCU and Central Florida as punishment for being arrested over the summer. The announcement came from coach Mack Brown as the Longhorns reported to training camp Sunday.
The players will also be held out of the first couple of days of practice when they will visit with a woman whose child was crippled by a drunk driver, Brown said. He did not identify the woman. The players also must perform some form of community service on behalf of the team before they will be allowed to play.
"I think we've got to send a message, and kids have to learn," Brown said. "It is a good opportunity for our football team to step up and talk about how serious we feel about drinking and driving."
Kindle, a sophomore, was expected to compete for significant playing time this season after playing in 11 games in 2006. Melton, a former short-yardage running back, moved to defensive end full time in the spring.
"This punishes the team. They are both good players," Brown said.
Several Longhorns have faced criminal charges in recent months.
A third player, freshman linebacker Dre Jones, was suspended indefinitely last week after being charged with aggravated robbery. Former safety Robert Joseph was also charged, but he had already left the team after being arrested in a separate incident over the summer.
Brown doesn't think the arrests have ruined his reputation for running a clean program.
"I need to step up and take responsibility for anything negative and to be a strong leader," Brown said.
Senior defensive lineman Frank Okam said other players can learn from the suspensions.
"Here you have a standard you have to uphold and be accountable for," Okam said.
Also on Sunday, running backs coach Ken Rucker announced that he has prostate cancer. Rucker said the illness was diagnosed after a regular visit with his doctor and that the disease was caught early. Although he initially hoped to have surgery after the season, it is scheduled for Aug. 27. Rucker will coach until then and said he hopes to return before the end of the season.
"When you have cancer, you want to get it out," Rucker said. "With time, I'm going to be fine."
Brown said he hoped that by the start of practice Monday, his team will focus on the Sept. 1 opener against Arkansas State instead of off-field troubles.
"I've spent more time the last 10 days thinking about things other than football," Brown said. "I'd like to get back to football."

USC Safety Arrested for DUI

USC safety Josh Pinkard was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of driving under the influence, coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday.
Carroll planned to speak with Pinkard, a 21-year-old junior, either Tuesday evening or Wednesday.
"We're looking into it, and we'll find out the details,'' Carroll said. "As usual, we'll handle it internally. We take this seriously, and we want to make sure we understand all of the circumstances.''
Pinkard could not immediately be reached for comment. It was not known whether he had an attorney.
Pinkard missed nearly all last season after injuring a knee in the opener against Arkansas. He redshirted last season and had reconstructive surgery. He was expected to play a significant role in the upcoming season for the Trojans, who were No. 4 in the final AP Top 25.
Authorities said Pinkard was arrested in the early morning of May 18 after a California Highway Patrol officer noticed a car swerving on a local freeway. The CHP report identified Pinkard as a USC student, but did not mention the football team.
Pinkard was scheduled to appear in court July 24.

Nebraska's Pruify arrested again for DUI

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Wide receiver Maurice Purify was suspended indefinitely from the Nebraska football team Friday after his arrest on suspicion of drunken driving, his second run-in with law enforcement in five weeks.

A State Patrol trooper stopped Purify at 12:25 a.m. at the intersection of Cornhusker Highway and North First Street in Lincoln. Purify was observed driving 53 mph in a 40 mph zone and failing to use his turn signal, patrol spokeswoman Deb Collins said. Purify was taken to the Lincoln Detoxification Center after being ticketed on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

Collins said she didn't know Purify's blood-alcohol level at the time of his arrest.
"We are aware of Maurice's situation and we take it very seriously," coach Bill Callahan said. "I met with Maurice today and explained to him that he is indefinitely suspended from the team. At this point, his future status with our team is uncertain."

A call seeking comment from Purify's attorney, Jon Braaten of Lincoln, was not immediately returned.

Purify had been charged with two counts of assault, resisting arrest, trespassing and failure to comply after a May 5 incident at a downtown bar. Purify was accused of throwing a man over a table, hitting him several times and striking the man's girlfriend.

Purify had been authorized to enter a pretrial diversion program in that case. City prosecutor John McQuinn couldn't be reached to comment on how Purify's arrest Friday would affect his participation in diversion.

Purify, from Eureka, Calif., was Nebraska's second-leading receiver last season, catching 34 passes for 630 yards and seven touchdowns. He will be a senior in the fall.

Texas moves up to #4

University of Texas has moved up to the #4 spot in the Thug Factor with their latest criminal activities. In line with Mack Browns handling of all UT Thugs, the starter is still on the team and the backup has been suspended.

Way to go Mack.

2 UT Player Arrested for Burglary and DUI

Texas safety Robert Joseph was jailed Saturday on two misdemeanor charges of burglary of a vehicle and has been suspended indefinitely by the Longhorns.

Joseph, 19, was booked around 4:30 a.m. and remained in Travis County Jail late Saturday on $6,000 bond. He was arrested after running from a security guard who found Joseph sitting in a car that didn't belong to him at a downtown hotel, according to his arrest affidavit.

"We are aware of the recent situation with Robert Joseph," Texas head coach Mack Brown said in a statement. "We've talked with Robert and his family and have decided to suspend him indefinitely, pending the completion of the legal process. At this time, he will not be involved in any team functions."

Joseph is the second Texas player arrested this month. On June 1, junior defensive end Henry Melton was arrested and charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated.

According to the arrest affidavit, Joseph was spotted in a car by an off-duty Austin police officer working security at a hotel parking garage. Joseph told the officer the car belonged to a friend, but then fled as the officer tried to verify the owner's identity.

A short time later, the officer again found Joseph sitting in another car. The affidavit states that Joseph was arrested after telling the officer he was breaking into cars to get away from someone who attacked him at a downtown club.

Joseph, a sophomore, played in seven games last season but missed the last six with a shoulder injury. He had 14 tackles as a backup safety and special teams player.

Thug Factor Update

1	Ohio University	32
2	UNLV	15
3	Virginia Tech	13
T4	Colorado State	9
T4	Tennessee	9
T4	Texas Tech	9
T7	Washington	7
T7	South Carolina	7
T9	Louisville	6
T9	Maryland	6
T9	Michigan State	6
T9	Texas	6
T9	Michigan	6
T9	Idaho	6
T9	Hawaii	6
T9	Illinios	6
T17	MTSU	4
T17	USC	4
T19	Iowa	3
T19	Kansas	3
T19	Northern Colorado	3
T19	San Jose State	3
T19	Uconn	3
T19	North Carolina	3
T19	Arkansas	3
T26	Auburn	1
T26	Kansas State	1
T26	Marshall	1
T26	Utah	1

Schools debate merit of establishing specific code of conducts to deal with serious offenses for athletes

A great article that can be found here... The Daily Orange

By: Matt Gelb
Posted: 9/26/06If it were up to him, Bobby Bowden wouldn't suspend any of his players, no matter the crime. "If a kid makes a mistake, we don't have to kick him off the team," Bowden said to reporters seven years ago, before the 1999 national championship game. "There's a lot of ways to punish him. I ain't cutting my nose off to spite my face."Earlier that season, star wideout Peter Warrick was suspended by the Florida State administration for his involvement in a shoplifting scheme. Warrick was charged with grand theft. The penalty handed down by the school: two games. Warrick was in contention for the Heisman Trophy and a valuable part of Bowden's run to the national championship. Warrick's partner in crime, Laveranues Coles, was kicked out of school. The uproar was swift and animated. Why was Coles-who had 12 receptions for 179 yards and one touchdown-kicked off the team while Warrick, the star of the team with four touchdowns and more than 500 yards receiving, slapped on the wrist?"It's not like I killed the president," Warrick infamously said to reporters after Bowden and FSU came under fire. The truth is the NCAA has no say over the policies of its member institutions when it comes to dealing with infringements of the law. The NCAA does have strict bylaws regarding recruiting, amateurism and academic standards, but when an athlete breaks the law, there is no uniformity among member schools because the institutions cannot agree on a consensus. And that's the way it will stay-perhaps forever."All of our current rules are bylaws decided by member institutions," said Stacey Osburn, spokesperson for the NCAA. "It will stay that way as long as possible. We do not have a bylaw for legal matters."So instead, schools are developing their own code of conducts for student-athletes, a process that has demonstrated the wide range of philosophies among NCAA schools. "The ones that are running wild have so much to learn from the ones who are doing it well," said George Gardener, director of strategic communications at the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University. "The key is to be a school that is willing to stand behind its policies and implement the penalties."At Syracuse, the athletic department works closely with judicial affairs, but has its own discipline policy in addition to any punishment handed down by the university. "If there is a university sanction, the athletic department will get involved with the coach," said Rob Edson, senior associate director of athletics. "We have an umbrella policy for athletes, but the guidelines revolve around internal student affairs."Edson says punishments are handled on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the level of the offense, coaches and department members will make a decision based on the university's findings. Athletes receive discipline from not only the university, but also the athletic department. However, the athletic department's punishment can be altered."The coach always has the option to supersede the department," Edson said. "If the coach feels the conduct was especially detrimental to the team, they can suspend the player for longer or institute a stricter penalty."Although coaches are directly involved in the discipline process, Edson said the athletic department guidelines are installed exactly for that reason-to make sure every team follows the same principles.Orange linebacker Kelvin Smith, who has played under two coaches at SU, said the culture can vary depending on the coach. "It's more like (Greg Robinson) treats us like adults, like NFL athletes," Smith said. "That gives us more of a sense to act like adults. (Former head coach Paul Pasqualoni) put his foot down. He said 'Don't do anything at all, don't think about it.'"Former SU safety Diamond Ferri was arrested on charges of misdemeanor assault and resisting arrest on May 22, 2004. He was not suspended by the school or the team. Defensive tackle Eugene Brown was arrested March 27, 2005, after a fight on Marshall Street. He was charged with second-degree assault, a felony in the state of New York. Brown was immediately suspended from the university and football team indefinitely. Two weeks later, Brown was reinstated by Syracuse and was attending classes. Brown played in five games in 2005. Florida State's policy on felony charges is a suspension until the charges are resolved. Warrick was originally charged with a felony but pleaded down to a misdemeanor. Under FSU's policy, Warrick's penalty was ultimately Bowden's call-a decision many believe was made based on football priorities first. But Bowden isn't the only one who refuses to sacrifice wins for discipline. Before the 2006 season started, Alabama linebacker Juwan Simpson was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and a stolen shotgun. Simpson reached a plea agreement, confessing to the charges before the season started. But he avoided a suspension from head coach Mike Shula and was in the lineup against Hawaii for the Crimson Tide's opener. The backlash against Shula was extensive. A columnist for the Mobile (Al.) Register said Shula's double standards had "Bear Bryant rolling over in his grave."Initially, Shula had not planned on suspending Simpson. After public outcry, Shula changed his stance, saying his rationale was to spread the suspensions of seven players who breached team discipline standards over the first three games of the season. The players would serve their suspensions in the order they broke the rules. He said it wouldn't be fair to the team to suspend all seven players for one game. "These should be areas where people defer to the code of conduct," Gardener said. "He shouldn't have to run around asking, 'What do I do? What do I do?' He's got an agreement that says what happened when player X does Y."Shula suspended Simpson, the leading tackler on the team, for the third game of the season, against Louisiana-Monroe two weekends ago. The Crimson Tide won, 41-7. The combined margin of victory for its first two games of the season was 11 points. According to the Alabama athletics compliance department, there is no separate code of conduct for student-athletes. Alabama athletes are only held to the standards of the regular student conduct codes. However, many athletic departments around the nation are adopting conduct codes with blanket punishment standards in order to eliminate the variability of dealing with violations on a case-by-case basis-and to avoid the criticisms Shula faced. Wisconsin, for example, introduced a policy in 2003-since revised to include alternative forms of punishment-that eliminates coaches from the discipline equation. Any player charged or arrested for a serious crime is immediately suspended from all team activities. "The responsibility of the coach is to take care of the daily issues of the players," said Shawn Eichorst, senior director of athletics at Wisconsin. "We delegate to them the ability to handle the student-athletes, but with criminal conduct, that's the department's responsibility."Bowden and Shula probably wouldn't react so kindly to a similar policy at their respective schools. "We want to treat all of our student-athletes consistently," Eichorst said. "It's difficult to treat them consistently when you have different sets of coaches chiming in. We've done this by minimizing the potential for conflict of interest."The old policy was tested by former UW running back Booker Stanley. A backup and highly touted recruit, Stanley was suspended immediately after he was charged with sexually assaulting a former girlfriend on Dec. 21, 2005. He missed the Badgers' Capital One Bowl victory over Auburn and was kicked off the team two months later. "In the old policy we would just suspend them," Eichorst said. "Now we're going to embark upon a fact-finding mission to find out what happened and go from there."The University of Maine established a point system to dish out punishment to its athletes. Violations are assessed a point value, generally between one and five, with one being the least offensive. Once an athlete accumulates five points, they are suspended for 10 percent of his or her team's schedule. The suspensions increase as the points stack up. "A lot of it is set in stone," said Brett Williamson, assistant athletics director at Maine. "It takes the ambiguity out of it. If a swimmer has a DUI, they are treated the same way as a football player would."But the reality is that college football players around the country are not treated identically to other athletes. While Gardener understands the NCAA is trapped in a hard spot and there is no scenario in which they could oversee a punishment policy, he still thinks they should act. "What the NCAA can do is help the schools identify the code of conduct," Gardener said. "Offer schools a set of best practices to create codes of conduct. The NCAA could provide great guidance."

Athletes Crimes of Choice

It appears as though Assault is the crime of choice for Criminal Athletes. Grabbing a demanding 47% of the crimes reported on Criminalathletes.blogspot.com. Robbery came in a distant second with nearly 26%.

Below is how the charges against our heros of the grid iron breakdown...

Illinois players kicked off team

University of Illinois football players Jody Ellis and Derrick McPhearson -- accused of stealing wallets, cell phones and laptop computers -- were kicked off the team Monday just hours after pleading not guilty to felony burglary and theft charges.
"This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. It is not only disrespectful to this football team, but to the University of Illinois, as well," football coach Ron Zook said in a written statement.
"We will act right and we will obey the law. Period."
The two wide receivers were arrested Friday night after police found suspected stolen wallets, cell phones, electronic devices and at least six laptop computers inside Ellis' car, Champaign police Chief R.T. Finney said Monday.
Ellis and McPhearson, both 20, pleaded not guilty to four counts each of residential burglary and two counts each of theft of property and requested jury trials.
After hearing the players' pleas, Champaign County Circuit Court Judge John R. Kennedy set a pretrial hearing for April 10.
Ellis and McPhearson were arrested after allegedly driving away from the scene of a minor accident in Ellis' 1995 Honda Accord. The accident with another vehicle occurred shortly after 8 p.m. at an intersection near the University of Illinois campus, Finney said. Police pulled over Ellis' Honda 10 minutes later.
"Shortly thereafter the officers began to find items in the car that didn't belong to them," in the car's interior and in the trunk, Finney said. "There were wallets and IDs belonging to other people."
State's Attorney Julia Rietz said the items were taken from four Champaign residences in and around campus on Friday, during what's called unofficial St. Patrick's Day. The event is a promotion begun by local bars to make up for revenue they lose when St. Patrick's Day falls during the university's spring break.
Rietz said it appeared that most victims had left their doors unlocked.
"I think (Ellis and McPhearson) might have been taking advantage of people who were not (cautious) on unofficial St. Patrick's Day," Rietz said, adding that the investigation was ongoing.
Ellis, from Evanston, and McPhearson, from Hyattsville, Md., each posted $2,500 bail and were released from Champaign County Jail Sunday afternoon.
Both played in all 12 Illini games in 2006, their sophomore season, and were expected to compete for playing time next season.
The arrests are the latest in a series of recent legal run-ins for Illini athletes.
Basketball player Rich McBride on Thursday pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and is scheduled to be sentenced May 1. The 6-foot-3 senior guard was arrested on Sept. 29 in Savoy, a small town just south of Champaign, and is scheduled to be sentenced May 1.
He was suspended for four regular-season games after the arrest and will face no further discipline, school officials have said.
Sophomore guard Jamar Smith pleaded not guilty last month to charges that he left the scene of the accident and drove while intoxicated during a Feb. 12 accident that left teammate Brian Carlwell hospitalized for four days with a severe concussion.
He will not play again this season.
Athletic director Ron Guenther said the past few weeks have been difficult for the university's athletics programs, adding that removing Ellis and McPhearson from the football team was the right thing to do.
"We have set a high standard for student-athlete behavior, and it should be," Guenther said. "Our kids get a tremendous amount of support from all areas of the department. Therefore after reviewing this incident, it was in the best interest of both parties that the athletes be dismissed and their scholarships not renewed."

UH Football Player Arrested for Abuse

University of Hawaii football player Keenan Jones was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of felony abuse and kidnapping after a domestic disturbance at his Manoa apartment. The incident happened just hours after the defensive back was suspended from the football team for breaking team rules.
According to police, Jones and his live-in girlfriend got into a heated argument at their Dole street apartment which quickly escalated to physical confrontation. In a statement, the woman alleges Jones punched and kicked her and prevented her from leaving the couple's apartment.
The 21-year old is a junior-college transfer who was on the Warriors' roster last season but did not play.
UH coach June Jones declined comment on the situation until the investigation is complete.

Thug Factor Update

Ohio University - 32
UNLV - 15
Virginia Tech - 13
Colorado State - 9
Tennessee - 9
Texas Tech - 9
Washington - 7
Louisville - 6
Maryland - 6
Michigan State - 6
Texas - 6
Michigan - 6
Idaho - 6
MTSU - 4
USC - 4
South Carolina - 4
Iowa - 3
Kansas - 3
Northern Colorado - 3
San Jose State - 3
Uconn - 3
North Carolina - 3
Arkansas - 3
Auburn - 1
Kansas State - 1
Marshall - 1
Utah - 1

Idaho player arrested for investigation of armed robbery, battery

A University of Idaho football player faces possible felony armed robbery and battery charges after his arrest early Friday, police said.
Tone Taupule, a 22-year-old safety, was arrested about 4:30 a.m. in Moscow after a resident was robbed and pistol-whipped in his home. Taupule, a senior, made an initial appearance in district court, where bail was set at $100,000 and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for March 22.
Assistant Moscow Police Chief David Duke said police received a call from Gritman Memorial Hospital, where the victim was being treated for a head wound. The victim told police a man was inside his apartment when he returned home and brandished a semiautomatic pistol and forced him to give him about $1,000 from a safe. The robber then allegedly hit the man with the weapon and fled.
Police said the victim knew Taupule through another acquaintance, who provided a name. The victim picked Taupule out of a photo lineup, Duke said. Taupule was arrested at his Moscow apartment, where a search warrant produced cash, a magazine and ammunition, but no weapon, Duke said.
Taupule was booked into the Latah County Jail for investigation of felony armed robbery and aggravated battery.
Idaho sports information director Becky Paull said athletic officials had no immediate comment.
Taupule, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound transfer from Compton College in California, started all 12 games for the Vandals last season, recording 34 tackles, including 25 solo.

Utah receiver charged with drunken driving

Utah receiver Marquis Wilson was charged with drunken driving and suspended indefinitely from the team.
Wilson was pulled over on March 10 downtown and cited for making an illegal turn. Police gave Wilson sobriety test and his blood alcohol content was 0.11 percent, 0.03 above the legal limit, according to police reports.
Wilson, 20, was charged Friday with misdemeanor drunken driving, possession of alcohol by a minor.
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham suspended Wilson indefinitely Monday, saying it was for a rules violation and that he hoped "it is something we can work through and get him back."
Wilson had 25 catches for 398 yards and three touchdowns last season.

Razorback defensive starter arrested on shoplifting charge

Antwain Robinson, a starter at defensive end in 13 Arkansas football games last season, was arrested Sunday on a shoplifting charge, according to authorities in Washington County.
Robinson, 20, was detained Sunday afternoon by security personnel at a Dillard's store in the Northwest Arkansas Mall at Fayetteville, according to Sgt. Dominic Swanfeld of the Fayetteville Police Department. Swanfeld said Dillard's notified the police department, and officers went to the store and took Robinson into custody, "based on their (security guards') sworn statement," Swanfeld said. "I don't have any idea at this time" what Robinson was accused of taking, Swanfeld said Sunday evening.
The Fayetteville officers took Robinson to the Washington County Jail at Fayetteville, Swanfeld said.
A spokesman at the jail who declined to give his name said Robinson was freed Sunday evening on $550 bond.
Kevin Trainor, sports information director for the Razorbacks, said football coach Houston Nutt was out of town during the school's spring break and unreachable for comment.
Robinson, listed as 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds on the Razorbacks' roster, was ranked fifth on the team in tackles last season, with a total of 68 -- 44 solo and 24 assists. His tackles included 14 1/2 for lost yardage, costing opponents a total of 86 lost yards, ranking him second in that category.

Michigan starter accused of St. Patrick's Day attack

Two Michigan football players were arraigned Wednesday on assault charges after police say they attacked a fellow student in a residence hall on St. Patrick's Day.
Carson Butler, 19, of Detroit, and Christian Richards III, 19, of Pacoima, Calif., are charged with one count each of aggravated assault, and assault and battery, said campus police spokeswoman Diane Brown. The aggravated assault charge is a one-year misdemeanor, while the assault and battery charge is a 93-day misdemeanor.
The players, both sophomores, were arraigned in Washtenaw District Court and released on $5,000 personal bonds pending a March 27 pretrial hearing, Brown said.
A 20-year-old Michigan student told campus police he was repeatedly punched about 6 p.m. Saturday in an acquaintance's dorm room, Brown said. The victim told police his attackers already were in the room when he arrived and that he did not know why he was assaulted, she said.
Brown said a fourth student in the room was not attacked and did not take part in the assault.
Police were called to the room, and the victim was taken to the University of Michigan Hospital emergency room where he was treated and released, police said.
School spokesman David Ablauf had no immediate comment on the arrests.
Butler, a tight end, started seven games for Michigan last season and caught 19 passes. Coach Lloyd Carr said last week Butler would not be with the team during spring drills, which began Saturday and end April 14.
Richards, a reserve defensive back, had five tackles last year.
In addition to the charges stemming from Saturday's incident, Richards has another case pending. He was charged with illegal entry on campus last year, The Ann Arbor News reported.
Richards failed to appear for his arraignment on that charge, and a bench warrant had been issued for his arrest.

UNC football player charged with assault

Linebacker Garrett White will be disciplined internally by North Carolina coach Butch Davis after White's arrest on a misdemeanor simple assault charge early Sunday morning.
White, 20, was arrested after an incident in a downtown Chapel Hill parking lot, said Chapel Hill police spokeswoman Jane Cousins.
Paul Britt of Chapel Hill alleged that White struck him in the face after a verbal altercation, then left the scene in a vehicle with two other people.
Police later located the vehicle, and Britt identified White as the person who struck him, according to Cousins. White was released on a written promise to appear in court April 10, Cousins said.

Ohio University and Frank Solich

I spoke too soon... while UNLV has a lot to be proud of... a little digging by a Local Ohio newspaper reveals a lot more of Dirt on the Ohio University Football program. The following are exerps from an article in "The Athens News".

Off-field troubles involving Ohio University football players during the past 13 months roughly parallel those of the 1998 and 1999 teams, court records show, but the checkered disciplinary record of head coach Frank Solich's players stretches back further than that.
Solich emphasized Wednesday that he's doing what he can to compel and promote good behavior among team members, and that good citizens compose the vast majority of his team.

An Athens NEWS review of past rosters and court records found that the OU team's legal difficulties spiked in 1998 and 1999 before falling and then increasing markedly under Solich.

The coach's former employer, the University of Nebraska football program, the review also found, provides a lesson in what OU surely hopes to avoid in terms of player conduct, despite many individual successes.

In the interview on Wednesday, Solich flatly declined to discuss disciplinary issues at Nebraska, saying he's now totally focused on building a strong program in Athens.

Solich's own drunken-driving conviction in November 2005 only served to trigger greater scrutiny of off-field incidents in Athens and foreshadowed the cluster of OU football players who have been arrested in the months since.

Solich has steadfastly denied culpability in his own case, saying he was drugged, but his attempt to withdraw his plea failed last August.

Already this year, local authorities have briefly jailed football players Kris Luchsinger, Ernie Hodge and Horace Hubbard -- all Solich recruits -- on charges that followed alleged violence uptown.

In Athens County Municipal Court, six team members last year were convicted of assault or disorderly conduct by fighting, and Luchsinger and Hodge have become the latest in a string of Bobcat footballers to get chased by local police.

At least 14 team members have been arrested since late January 2006 on original charges of assault, vandalism, DUI or for fleeing. That's 12.2 percent of the team, and does not include citations without arrests.

FBI and U.S. Census data show a 4.8 percent nationwide arrest rate in 2005, although the FBI does not break down the arrests by age, and arrests would almost certainly be higher in the college-age population.

UNLV Shoots to the Top of the Thug Factor

When the next Thug Factor is issues, UNLV will be the new champion. Five UNLV football players were arrested in a Theft Ring dating back to 2006. Congrats UNLV!

Arrest Warrants For UNLV Athletes in Theft Ring
Arrest warrants have been issued for eight people accused in a theft ring involving UNLV athletes.
In November 2006, the Channel 8 I-Team learned that five football players, two members of the women's track team and a cheerleader were being investigated for stealing merchandise from the Abercrombie and Fitch in the Forum Shops in Caesars Palace.
Police say Channing Trotter worked at the store and allowed several students to leave the store with hundreds of dollars of merchandise for the price of one item.
Metro police say the thefts totalled about $3,400.

Thug Factor Update

T1 - Colorado State 9
T1 - Tennessee 9
T1 - Texas Tech 9
4 - Washington 7
T5 - Louisville 6
T5 - Maryland 6
T5 - Michigan State 6
T5 - Texas 6
T9 - MTSU 4
T9 - USC 4
T9 - South Carolina 4
T12 - Iowa 3
T12 - Kansas 3
T12 - Northern Colorado 3
T12 - San Jose State 3
T12 - Uconn 3
T17 - Auburn 1
T17 - Kansas State 1
T17 - Marshall 1

Gamecocks Garcia Suspended After Arrest

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina quarterback recruit Stephen Garcia was suspended indefinitely Wednesday from participating in team activities less than a week after he was arrested and charged with drunkenness.
The decision by coach Steve Spurrier means Garcia will not be allowed participate in team weightlifting and running sessions until further notice, athletic department spokesman Steve Fink said.
Spurrier would not talk about the arrest or the suspension, Fink said Wednesday.
Garcia, 19, was arrested early Saturday morning in a restaurant and nightclub district near the university and charged with drunkenness and failure to stop for a police officer.
An officer responding to an altercation said Garcia ran away from him and tried to hide in an alley, then turned toward the officer "in a threatening manner," according to an incident report.
Police say Garcia had been at a private party at a club when the incident occurred. Garcia was released from jail on a personal recognizance bond Saturday evening. A hearing on the charges scheduled for Wednesday was postponed until March 7.
The highly touted recruit out of Jefferson High in Tampa, Fla., enrolled at South Carolina last month.
Last year, South Carolina's starting quarterback Blake Mitchell also was charged in an incident in the same area near the campus. He was accused of punching a bouncer -- an assault charge that was later dropped -- and spent a few hours in jail.

Washington RB Charged with Stealing a Cab

Prosecutors have charged suspended Washington running back Michael Houston with stealing a cab last October.
Houston was charged this week with second-degree taking a motor vehicle without permission -- a Class C felony -- and driving while intoxicated, a gross misdemeanor. Houston is scheduled to be arraigned in King County Superior Court on Monday; it was not immediately known if he had obtained a lawyer.
Houston was suspended indefinitely following his October arrest. According to police reports, Houston, two other men and a woman were picked up by an Orange Cab at a strip club early one morning. After stopping at a fast-food restaurant, the woman spit on the cab window. When the driver stepped out to call 911, Houston jumped into the front seat and drove off, the police report alleged.
Seattle police found the cab a short time later and saw a man getting out of the vehicle. Houston was arrested and booked into jail.
Houston came to Washington in August after playing as a freshman at Texas. He played in two games for the Longhorns then transferred following the season.
Houston, listed at 5-foot-11, 238 pounds, was not eligible to play last season for Washington as he was required to sit out a year after transferring. He would be eligible for the 2007 season.
Earlier this month, coach Tyrone Willingham said Houston is being included in team activities, but his status for the 2007 season would be determined after criminal proceedings play out.