Tracy Sprinkle Ohio State

Ohio State defensive lineman Tracy Sprinkle (93) has been removed from the Buckeyes' football team after his arrest.

(Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer dismissed Tracy Sprinkle from the Ohio State football team on Monday after the defensive lineman was arrested over the weekend and charged with cocaine possession after a bar brawl in Lorain.

Sprinkle, 19, entered not guilty pleas to charges of rioting, failure to disperse, possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia in a Monday morning arraignment in a Lorain courtroom.

Meyer had previously suspended Sprinkle from football activities indefinitely pending the outcome of his case. Now he is completely off the team, though a team spokesman said that Sprinkle's status could be looked at again depending on the outcome of his legal issues.

Meyer followed a similar path in 2012 with linebacker Storm Klein. He was dismissed from the team that summer after facing a charge of domestic violence and assault. Klein later pleaded to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct and rejoined the team and did play that season.

Sprinkle, the 2012 Plain Dealer Defensive Player of the Year while at Elyria High School, redshirted during his first season in Columbus in 2013 but was expected to contribute as a backup defensive lineman this season.

One point of emphasis from Meyer since his arrival in Columbus has been for players to walk away from situations. According to the police report of what was referred to as "absolute mayhem" at the Grown & Sexy Lounge in Lorain on Friday night/early Saturday morning, Sprinkle allegedly didn't do that.

According to the report, Sprinkle and another man, Wayne Blue, were seen yelling at each other.

"Both males were ordered to disperse at which time they would walk away," the reports reads. "However, several minutes later I observed them again becoming confrontational with each other on the west side of the building.

"I then shined my flashlight directly at Tracy and ordered him to leave. The group that had been trying to hold Tracy back responded by saying, 'We got him,' as they pushed him towards a car."

The officer then went to deal with other issues, but later saw another argument and "Tracy was in the middle of the argument. This is the same male I had just ordered to leave while standing in the west parking lot."

It was at this point, according to report, that Sprinkle was arrested.