Three arrested Illini football players suspended, Lovie Smith announces

Share

The three Illinois football players arrested on charges of home invasion and armed robbery are all suspended.

Illini head football coach Lovie Smith released a statement Wednesday outlining that two of the three players, offensive lineman Darta Lee and tight end Zarrian Holcombe, were already suspended for violating team rules and that the other, offensive lineman HoJo Watkins Jr., is now suspended indefinitely in the wake of the arrests.

"These allegations, if true, fail to live up to the standards we expect of our student-athletes," Smith said, his statement published by the Champaign News-Gazette. "We continue to gather information and will take appropriate steps based upon what we learn."

Lee and Holcombe will each be sophomores this fall, while Watkins will be a freshman after enrolling early and working out with the team this spring.

Lee played in six games last season, starting two. Holcombe played in seven games.

Contact Us