Birmingham, Ala. — The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced today it will honor Southern University’s and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s request to stagger each of the school’s football suspensions following a post-game altercation between the Jaguars and Golden Lions game on October 17. The league also reinstated a Southern student-athlete, #58 Corry Roy. After further reviewing the video footage of the incident, it was confirmed that Roy did not participate in the altercation.
The total number of players suspended from the altercation now stands at 40. Of those 40, eight were given two-game suspensions that must be served immediately. Southern University has 15 total suspensions with three players receiving two-game sanctions. UAPB has 25 total suspensions with five players receiving two-game sanctions.
The Conference Office staggered the suspensions over the next three games for each team using an alphabetical listing of the players affected as a random determining factor. With that criterion, the suspensions will be served as followed:
Southern University
Saturday, October 29 vs. Alcorn State
#56 Jamie Payton, #17 Lamarkius Pettaway, #20 Byron Williams, #21 Terrell Alex, #49 Anthony Balancier, #98 Daniel Brown,
#2 Lee Doss.
Saturday, November 5 at Texas Southern
#56 Jamie Payton, #17 Lamarkius Pettaway, #20 Byron Williams, #82 LaQuinton Evans, #53 Kenneth Hill, Jr., #22 Levi Jackson,
#35 Kaelan Mayfield.
Saturday, November 12 at Alabama State
#13 Jaleel Richardson, #23 Marlon Smith, #19 William Waddel, #51 Franchot West
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Saturday, October 29 vs. Grambling
#15 Dezmond Beverly, #82 Devontaa Bryant, #36 Stephen Jones, #54 Lyron McClenney, #50 Chukwaso Oputa, #21 Justin Billings, #18 Joe Dalton, #2 Cordara Frazier, #14 Mose Frazier, #49 Brandon Fulton, #26 Kendrick Gray, #34 Jherron Harris.
Saturday, November 5 vs. Alabama State
#15 Dezmond Beverly, #82 Devontaa Bryant, #36 Stephen Jones, #54 Lyron McClenney, #50 Chukwaso Oputa, #67 Colton Jones, #92 Damien Lee, #62 Jamaal Philips, #27 Antonio Richmond, #20 Kevin Rucker, Jr., #85 Donnie Scott, #9 Ryan Shaw.
Saturday, November 12 at Mississippi Valley State
#31 Torrence Shelton, Jr., #56 K.J. Smith, #87 Eric Thomas, #40 Derrick Timber, #52 Devonne Tingle, #22 Charles Williams.
SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp said the Conference Office took into consideration the safety and welfare of the student-athletes remaining on each team’s roster following the suspensions. The league also took into consideration that currently eligible players could possibly lose future eligibility by lifting redshirts this late in the season in order to fill roster spots left by the suspensions.
“In fairness to those that did not participate in the altercation, we have decided to stagger the punishments handed down to each school. Let me reiterate, however, these suspensions send a clear and definitive message that this type of behavior will not be tolerated,” Sharp said.
NOTE: Any squad member who is disqualified for fighting a second time during the season shall be disqualified for that game and suspended for the remainder of the season.
