MEMPHIS —
Thursday's Liberty Bowl Awards Banquet was briefly disrupted when two
East Carolina football players engaged in a fracas.
The disturbance
happened on the same day that reports surfaced that three Arkansas
players, including a pair of starters, will not play in the Liberty Bowl
after violating team rules.
The Pirates and
Razorbacks will face each other in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Saturday
(5:30 p.m., ESPN.)
East Carolina
junior Jonathan Williams and redshirt freshman Leonard Paulk apparently
became involved in the scuffle during the high-profile awards banquet at
the Hilton Hotel, the team headquarters for the Pirates. The fray was
quickly broken up by other team members.
East Carolina
head coach Skip Holtz said after the incident that he was still
gathering information and would be able to address the specifics no
sooner than after a practice session scheduled later in the afternoon.
Williams was
withheld from that practice session, Holtz said later. Holtz indicated
that he would meet with Williams Thursday night to discuss the player's
future with the program.
Paulk
participated in the practice session.
Both the East
Carolina and Arkansas team contingents were present at the banquet.
Among the school and City of Memphis dignitaries on hand were East
Carolina chancellor Steve Ballard and athletic director Terry Holland.
Williams is a
running back from Greenville. Paulk is a defensive back from Columbia,
SC.
The Arkansas
Democrat-Gazette reported Thursday in its online edition that Razorback
seniors Wendel Davis and Matt Harris and junior Marques Wade have been
suspended.
Davis, a senior
linebacker, and Harris, a safety, were starters. Wade is a reserve wide
receiver.
The paper's
report indicated that Arkansas athletic officials had not released an
explanation for the suspensions as of early afternoon on Thursday.
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THE SETTING: Among the sizable
number of attendees at
Thursday's Liberty Bowl Awards
Banquet were the East Carolina
and Arkansas team contingents,
bowl officials
and dignitaries from the City of
Memphis. A pair of ECU players
engaged in a scuffle during the
event, which was held at the
Memphis Hilton. (Photo: Brian
Bailey, ©2009 Bonesville.net and
WNCT-TV 9. All rights reserved.) |
