Senior DE Harrison suspended after felony drug charge
LITTLE ROCK -- Arkansas defensive end Marcus Harrison is suspended indefinitely after being arrested late Friday night on a felony drug charge and several misdemeanors.
A Fayetteville police report says an officer stopped Harrison, 23, just after 11 p.m. Friday night near his apartment. The officer reported a strong smell of marijuana coming from Harrison's car when he rolled his window down.
The officer asked Harrison to step out of the car. The police report says Harrison consented to a search and told the officer he had "just a pill" in a pocket of his cargo shorts. The officer reported finding a small plastic bag containing one blue Ecstasy pill.
The officer reported finding one partially smoked marijuana cigar under the front seat of the car and another unsmoked cigar. The police report shows both cigars tested positive for marijuana.
The Washington County jail said Harrison was booked just after 3 a.m. The jail listed Harrison as being held on charges of felony possession of a controlled substance, speeding, driving with a restricted driver's license and not wearing a seat belt. The jail also showed Harrison charged with failure to appear to another court date.
A deputy at the jail said Harrison remained in custody Saturday afternoon on $5,290 bail.
Coach Houston Nutt said Saturday that Harrison had violated team rules and would not play in the (No. 20 ESPN/USA Today; No. 21 AP) Razorbacks' season opener against Troy on Sept. 1. Nutt said Harrison could face further disciplinary measures.
"I am deeply disappointed that any student athlete would put himself and his team in the position of losing a senior starter due to off-the-field conduct," Nutt said. "We will await the legal process and review his status in the coming weeks."
Harrison, a senior, tore his anterior cruciate ligament in March during a spring practice. His recovery went well, though, and he was listed atop the depth chart at his position by the team Friday. Senior Chris Wade was listed as Harrison's backup, but his role could change now that Harrison is suspended.
Harrison started five games in 2006.