KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee punter Britton Colquitt has been suspended for the Vols' first five games of the 2008 season following his weekend arrest on charges of driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident.
Colquitt, 22, also was stripped of his scholarship, Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said in a statement Sunday.
According to the Knox County Judicial Commissioner's Office, Colquitt hit a parked car early Sunday morning and then fled the scene. According to police reports, when officers stopped Colquitt, he admitted to drinking and driving as well as to hitting the car and a tree stump.
Police said Colquitt smelled strongly of alcohol, his speech was slurred and he was staggering.
Lt. Mark Pressley, a Knoxville police spokesman, said Monday night that Colquitt was visibly intoxicated and could not complete field sobriety tests.
The accident caused more than $400 in damage.
"I'm very disappointed that Britton doesn't appreciate the blessings he has been given from his family and his team," Fulmer said in the statement. "He will be required to undergo alcohol counseling as well as other internal punishments."
Colquitt posted bond and has a hearing scheduled for March 5. Attempts to reach him on Sunday through the university were unsuccessful, The Tennessean of Nashville said.
Colquitt, who decided to return to Tennessee for his senior year and not to enter the NFL draft, was suspended from the team as a freshman in 2004 when he faced multiple alcohol-related charges stemming from several incidents. He was reinstated later in the year after he pleaded no contest to a charge of underage alcohol consumption.
A judge sentenced him to nearly a year of probation and Colquitt was required to complete a youth alcohol program, pay court costs and stay out of trouble to keep his record clean. He also pleaded guilty to two more underage consumption charges.
A fourth charge of underage consumption and one for driving under the influence were dismissed.
Colquitt, younger brother of All-America punter Dustin Colquitt, is the fourth member of his family to punt at Tennessee.
Heck, if Phil kicked all the players off that had been caught recently smoking pot with recruits or drunk driving he wouldn't have enough players left for spring practice. Then you have to throw in the ones they have gotten for other issues and you might have a basketball team.
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About like every other school. Colquitt has definitely had some alcohol issues in his stay at UT.
"Call me crazy, but I want to buy the Dallas Cowboys end zone and have the star right at the foot of my bed. That way when I score, I can spike the ball right on the star!" -Woody Paige, Around the Horn 10.9.08
That is weak, it took you all that long to post it, I am dissappointed. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]
I know a lot of kids like to have a good time in college, I did as well, but Colquitt has got some issues and I hope he can get those worked out before he gets out in the real world and reality hits him like a ton of bricks. Colquitt if I am not mistaken got in trouble the first week he was on campus as a freshman and every year since, all related to alcohol. I hope he gets his act together for the long haul for when football is not around.
[IMG]http://www.gifsoup.com/view/926256/tennessee-vols-al-wilson-o.gif[/IMG]
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