Arkansas starting defensive end Marcus Harrison has been suspended indefinitely after a traffic stop late Friday night revealed he had marijuana and Ecstasy in his possession.
Harrison, 23, was arrested on a felony drug charge and cited for several traffic violations, including speeding, driving on a suspended driver?s license and not wearing a seat belt.
He also had a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear relating to another incident.
?Marcus Harrison has been suspended indefinitely from our football team for a violation of team rules,? Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said Saturday in a statement released through the university. ?He will not play in the season opener against Troy and could face further disciplinary measures within the program after the facts are reviewed.?
Harrison was pulled over just after 11 p.m. Friday for speeding on West Stone Street, according to a Fayetteville police report.
The officer reported that he asked Harrison to roll down his window, and when the senior did, there was ?a very strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.?
The officer asked Harrison for his consent to be searched, according to the report. Harrison agreed, but before the search began, the officer asked if the player had anything illegal on him.
Harrison said he had ?just a pill,? according to the report. A small plastic bag containing a blue Ecstasy pill was found in the right pocket of Harrison?s cargo shorts.
The officer also reported that he found two cigars under the driver?s seat, including one which was still warm. Both cigars tested positive for marijuana and had a combined weight of approximately two grams.
Harrison, 23, was arrested and booked at the Washington County Sheriff?s Office at 3:19 a.m. Saturday. He was released at 2:53 p.m. after posting $5,290 in bail.
Harrison has a court date scheduled for Sept. 28 relating to the charge of possession of a controlled substance. He also has an Oct. 8 court date set for the speeding charge.
?I am deeply disappointed that any student-athlete would put himself and his team in the position of losing a senior starter due to off-the-field conduct,? Nutt said in the statement. ?We will await the legal process and review his status in the coming weeks.?
Harrison, 23, was arrested on a felony drug charge and cited for several traffic violations, including speeding, driving on a suspended driver?s license and not wearing a seat belt.
He also had a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear relating to another incident.
?Marcus Harrison has been suspended indefinitely from our football team for a violation of team rules,? Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said Saturday in a statement released through the university. ?He will not play in the season opener against Troy and could face further disciplinary measures within the program after the facts are reviewed.?
Harrison was pulled over just after 11 p.m. Friday for speeding on West Stone Street, according to a Fayetteville police report.
The officer reported that he asked Harrison to roll down his window, and when the senior did, there was ?a very strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.?
The officer asked Harrison for his consent to be searched, according to the report. Harrison agreed, but before the search began, the officer asked if the player had anything illegal on him.
Harrison said he had ?just a pill,? according to the report. A small plastic bag containing a blue Ecstasy pill was found in the right pocket of Harrison?s cargo shorts.
The officer also reported that he found two cigars under the driver?s seat, including one which was still warm. Both cigars tested positive for marijuana and had a combined weight of approximately two grams.
Harrison, 23, was arrested and booked at the Washington County Sheriff?s Office at 3:19 a.m. Saturday. He was released at 2:53 p.m. after posting $5,290 in bail.
Harrison has a court date scheduled for Sept. 28 relating to the charge of possession of a controlled substance. He also has an Oct. 8 court date set for the speeding charge.
?I am deeply disappointed that any student-athlete would put himself and his team in the position of losing a senior starter due to off-the-field conduct,? Nutt said in the statement. ?We will await the legal process and review his status in the coming weeks.?
