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09-20-2006, 09:52 PM
Florida's Thomas suspended indefinitely
By MARK LONG, AP Sports Writer
September 20, 2006
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Florida defensive tackle Marcus Thomas was suspended indefinitely Wednesday for a second violation of the school's substance-abuse policy, leaving the fifth-ranked Gators without their top pass rusher.
Coach Urban Meyer said Thomas, a senior from Jacksonville who leads the team with three sacks, will miss at least Saturday's game against Kentucky.
"He is suspended," Meyer said. "The whole situation is under review. It's under evaluation, and I'll comment when it's appropriate. There's no timetable. Nothing is set in stone."
Thomas spent part of Wednesday in meetings with school officials to appeal the suspension he received earlier this week for marijuana use, his mother said. Sheila Mote said her son tested positive twice for marijuana between the middle of July and the end of August. She believes both results are from the same drug use.
Mote said her son ingested marijuana at a party this summer. When he returned to campus in July, he failed a first drug test, which prompted school officials to suspend him for the season opener.
A second test, which Mote said came three to four weeks after the first, also came back positive. According to the school's drug policy, Thomas could be suspended for 50 percent of the season.
School officials denied reports that Thomas already had been suspended five games.
Thomas has the right to appeal any suspension to athletic director Jeremy Foley. Athletes are allowed to present circumstances that might have influenced the test. Under the policy, Foley then makes a recommendation to the Substance Abuse Committee, which handed down the original suspension, about whether to change the conditions of the punishment.
"I just have to learn more about it," Meyer said.
Thomas is a three-year starter who has 138 career tackles and 13 sacks. Without him, the Gators will move defensive end Ray McDonald to tackle and insert sophomore Derrick Harvey into the starting lineup.
"He's definitely a big player," linebacker Brandon Siler said. "He's definitely an impact player up front, but I think our defensive line was loaded before he went out. I'm pretty sure that we have people that can step in and step up to the plate. We still have a good defensive line. We still have a good defensive front even if we do lose him.
"If there was any position on the field that we felt had the most depth, it was on the D-line."
By MARK LONG, AP Sports Writer
September 20, 2006
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Florida defensive tackle Marcus Thomas was suspended indefinitely Wednesday for a second violation of the school's substance-abuse policy, leaving the fifth-ranked Gators without their top pass rusher.
Coach Urban Meyer said Thomas, a senior from Jacksonville who leads the team with three sacks, will miss at least Saturday's game against Kentucky.
"He is suspended," Meyer said. "The whole situation is under review. It's under evaluation, and I'll comment when it's appropriate. There's no timetable. Nothing is set in stone."
Thomas spent part of Wednesday in meetings with school officials to appeal the suspension he received earlier this week for marijuana use, his mother said. Sheila Mote said her son tested positive twice for marijuana between the middle of July and the end of August. She believes both results are from the same drug use.
Mote said her son ingested marijuana at a party this summer. When he returned to campus in July, he failed a first drug test, which prompted school officials to suspend him for the season opener.
A second test, which Mote said came three to four weeks after the first, also came back positive. According to the school's drug policy, Thomas could be suspended for 50 percent of the season.
School officials denied reports that Thomas already had been suspended five games.
Thomas has the right to appeal any suspension to athletic director Jeremy Foley. Athletes are allowed to present circumstances that might have influenced the test. Under the policy, Foley then makes a recommendation to the Substance Abuse Committee, which handed down the original suspension, about whether to change the conditions of the punishment.
"I just have to learn more about it," Meyer said.
Thomas is a three-year starter who has 138 career tackles and 13 sacks. Without him, the Gators will move defensive end Ray McDonald to tackle and insert sophomore Derrick Harvey into the starting lineup.
"He's definitely a big player," linebacker Brandon Siler said. "He's definitely an impact player up front, but I think our defensive line was loaded before he went out. I'm pretty sure that we have people that can step in and step up to the plate. We still have a good defensive line. We still have a good defensive front even if we do lose him.
"If there was any position on the field that we felt had the most depth, it was on the D-line."