THE SIDELINES : North Texas Suspends 9 Players

Nine University of North Texas football players, including some starters, have been suspended from Saturday’s season opening game against Alcorn State, coach Corky Nelson said.

The players were suspended for violating class and study hall attendance policy. The policy allows a student-athlete to miss a class or study hall three times per semester. Once exceeded, Nelson said, the athlete misses the next game, or the first game of the next season if the offense occurs during the off-season.

The suspended players, all redshirt freshmen, were offensive lineman Kent Englehardt, running back Travis Gibson, wide receiver Darius Jones, defensive lineman Rondy Long, wide receiver J.R. Selexman, defensive back Wayne Walker, running back David Blanchard, defensive lineman Lionel Ford and defensive back Charles Reece.

Nelson said several of the players, including Jones and Blanchard, were penciled in as starters.