While not exactly on the same brain-flatulence level as The Auburn Four, another quartet of college football players from the same school have found themselves in a bit of a legal pickle this offseason.
According to the Houston Chronicle, four members of the Rice Owls football program have been arrested and charged over the past six days in two separate incidents.
Last Saturday, defensive end Cody Bauer and offensive lineman Cade Shaw were arrested on a felony charge each of possession of a firearm in their on-campus residence. Two days later, cornerbacks Kevin Gaddis and Phillip Gaines (pictured) were hit with misdemeanor charges -- the former for theft of property valued between $50 and $500 and possession of two ounces or less of marijuana, the latter for the same possession charge.
Police reports detailing what led to the arrests are not public records, the Chronicle notes, because Rice is a private university.
“We are aware of the allegations. We take these seriously,” Rice athletic director Rick Greenspan told the Houston Chronicle. “Obviously, we have some investigations to do, both with the campus and off-campus (authorities), and when we have more information we’ll share it.”
Bauer, Gaddis and Gaines played in all 12 games in 2010, with Gaines starting 10 of those contests and Gaddis two. A knee injury kept Bauer out of spring practice this year.