SOUTH CAROLINA Spurrier suspends DE
COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier suspended starting defensive end Clifton Geathers on Monday following his Sunday morning arrest by Columbia police for fighting outside a nightclub. Geathers was charged with public drunkenness, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, police spokesman Brick Lewis said.
"We are disappointed in the actions of Clifton Geathers the other night," Spurrier said in a statement. "He has been suspended indefinitely from the team until all the facts come in."
One of Spurrier's most promising freshman, tailback Jarvis Giles, also was involved in a dispute Sunday with a woman in a dorm lobby. Security called campus police, and Giles and his companion told authorities it was a misunderstanding, university spokesman Margaret Lamb said.
No arrests were made, and Lamb said police are still investigating.
AUBURN
RB charged with assault
AUBURN, Ala. - Police officers allegedly saw Auburn running back Eric Smith knock a fellow student unconscious outside a hotel near campus.
Smith turned himself in to police Monday on a third-degree assault charge for the incident early Friday morning.
A police document obtained by The Birmingham (Ala.) News and Opelika-Auburn News on Monday indicated that the 19-year-old sophomore struck Decari Jenkins in the back of the head. Smith told police that Jenkins had punched him earlier and the report said Smith's nose appeared to be bleeding.
Smith was originally charged with disorderly conduct but Jenkins filed the assault complaint.
ALABAMA Fishing trip troubling
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama has asked an Athens, Ala., man to stay away from two Crimson Tide football players he took on a Gulf Coast fishing trip, though the university didn't report any NCAA violations or penalize itself over the outing.
The university investigated the trip that Curtis Anderson took this past spring with star receiver Julio Jones and running back Mark Ingram and forwarded its findings to the SEC.
Anderson, who has a condominium in Gulf Shores, Ala., has been asked to end his relationship with the players during their playing careers, and Jones and Ingram were told not to contact him. Anderson paid for the trip.
"The university is aware of Mr. Anderson, and has taken appropriate steps," said Alabama spokesman Deborah M. Lane. "Mr. Anderson is not affiliated with UA. He is not a UA booster, fan or alumnus, and is not a UA season ticket holder. In fact, Mr. Anderson told us that all of his family are fans of another SEC school." TENNESSEE Crompton to start
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Senior JonathanCrompton will start at quarterback for the Tennessee Volunteers when they open Sept. 5 against Western Kentucky.
Coach Lane Kiffin said Monday after reviewing the tape of the Vols' three fall scrimmages that Crompton and junior Nick Stephens had played well though Crompton had been more accurate.
Crompton started the first four games last season but was benched in favor of Stephens after struggling with passing and managing the game. Stephens struggled as well, and Crompton started the last two games of the season.
In the Vols' Saturday scrimmage, Crompton was 17 for 31 for 266 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.
WR Jones out 3-6 weeks
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee wide receiver Gerald Jones is expected to miss three to six weeks after suffering a high-ankle sprain during the Volunteers' most recent scrimmage.
Jones hobbled off the field after catching a 14-yard pass from Nick Stephens during Saturday's scrimmage and didn't return.
Jones has been somewhat limited during fall practice as he recovered from surgery on his left wrist, which has been in a cast.
He was expected to be among the starting receivers. Other wide receivers who might fill his spot are junior Brandon Warren, senior Quintin Hancock and freshmen Nu'Keese Richardson and Marsalis Teague.
Sports, Pages 20 on 08/25/2009