Wilson: 8 of 9 suspended IU players back for this week's game

BLOOMINGTON -- Kevin Wilson remained cagey about the status of the nine players he held out of IU's season opener for disciplinary reasons when he met with the media Monday afternoon. By dinner time, he had changed tack.

In a brief statement released after 6 p.m. Monday, Wilson confirmed that eight of those nine had served one-game suspensions and would be eligible to return for the Hoosiers' game Saturday night against Florida International. Sophomore linebacker Tegray Scales is serving a two-game suspension and will sit out Saturday to finish it, according to the statement, which did not elaborate on the nature of individual players' infractions.

"I want to clarify my comments from earlier today," Wilson's statement read. "All nine players listed prior to the season opener against Southern Illinois were suspended for that game, eight of whom had a one-game suspension that they served on Saturday. Tegray Scales was given a two-game suspension, which he will finish serving at Saturday's game against Florida International."

Speaking from a podium earlier in the day, Wilson reiterated his belief that the disciplinary issues did not signify larger, more deeply rooted concerns about player behavior within his program.

"There's no issues with these guys," Wilson said. "They're kids. There are issues, because they're kids. But there's phenomenal buy-in."

Wilson took issue with the suggestion that all nine -- Darius Latham, Tim Gardner, Ralph Green III, Isaac Griffith, Tyler Burgett, Will Dawkins, Tegray Scales, Alex Rodriguez and Greg Gooch -- were suspended. Some, he said, were just held out.

At least some of the nine were dressed for Saturday's game. Latham was seen on the sidelines in a jersey, but he did not have pads on.

"We had nine guys not available," he said. "If they were suspended, they wouldn't have dressed."

As he did when answering questions about those nine players Saturday, Wilson suggested there was no common thread running through the decision to hold them out.

Green and Griffith were arrested in separate incidents in the offseason. Wilson wouldn't comment on what specifically held any one player out, but he said players could be subject to punishment for infractions involving workouts, missed classes and other misbehavior.

Wilson also suggested some of the punishments were held over from things that had happened months ago, though again, he would not address specific cases.

"We've moved forward as a family, and it's the best group we've had," he said.

Athlete misbehavior has generated negative headlines for multiple Indiana sports in recent months.

The men's basketball program has dismissed three players this offseason following various off-the-field incidents, and starting free safety Antonio Allen was dismissed this summer from the football program after his arrest on multiple drug-related charges.

Asked specifically about Saturday's news during Indiana's halftime radio show, athletics director Fred Glass offered support for firm discipline as the answer to cleaning up off-the-field problems.

"Actions speak louder than words," Glass said, "and we'll keep doing it."

Follow Star reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.

Here is the full statement from Kevin Wilson Monday evening:

"I want to clarify my comments from earlier today. All nine players listed prior to the season opener against Southern Illinois were suspended for that game, eight of whom had a one-game suspension that they served on Saturday. Tegray Scales was given a two-game suspension, which he will finish serving at Saturday's game against Florida International."

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