Spring practice for SMU commenced Monday morning, and, somewhat surprisingly, the Mustangs did so without two of its best players on the practice field.
Head coach June Jones announced that a pair of seniors, wide receiver Darius Johnson (pictured) and linebacker Taylor Reed (no relation), did not participate in the first session and have been indefinitely suspended. Jones would not say what led to the suspensions -- he did allow that both players are eligible, presumably referring to academics -- which were decided upon last week.
There is no timetable for a return for either player.
“They’re tending to some other things,” Jones said. “You got to take care of business, not just football
As noted by Kate Hairopoulos -- love typing that name -- of the Dallas Morning News, this is the second suspension for each player during their time at the school.
Johnson’s 1,118 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns led the team, while his 79 receptions were second. Reed led the Mustangs in tackles with 101, tying for second in tackles for loss (9.5) and finishing third in sacks (four).