Linebacker Travis Williams has announced that he will transfer from the University of Miami. Williams was one of four players believed to be suspended for infractions from the season opener, according to unconfirmed reports by subscription site InsideTheU.com. Three of the players were apparently suspended for an incident involving marijuana, and Williams tells the same site the he "didn't like being targeted as a drug user."
The 'Canes had surprisingly become a model of good (or at least legal) behavior under former coach Randy Shannon, but the wheels seem to be falling off the morals bus under new coach Al Golden. Linebacker Ramon Buchanan was arrested earlier this year after a drunken and belligerent run-in with Miami police, but has since been reinstated. Red shirt Freshman Jeffrey Brown was arrested on charges of rape on Wednesday and suspended from the team.
InsideTheU.com reported this week that four other players were also suspended for the season opener. An incident on April 27th led to the reported suspension of Williams, running back Storm Johnson and cornerback Keion Payne. An April 29th incident that apparently involved police led to the suspension of offensive lineman Jermaine Barton.
The incident on April 27 may have involved marijuana.
"I didn't like being like being targeted as a drug user," Williams told InsideTheU.com via The Sun-Sentinel. "They can give me whatever test they want, whenever they want. As far as me being regarded as a drug user, I am not. I wasn't happy here. It wasn't about playing time because I was playing in the spring. Things just happened and I can't make everybody happy."
Williams sat out last season with a knee injury, and will now transfer at the conclusion of this semester. He was a redshirt freshman who had yet to play for the team. Ironically, he was listed as the second stringer in his position after Buchanan.
The team has not confirmed the suspensions.
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