When it was announced that Rashad Cunningham was one of two Kentucky football players suspended for the season opener, the reason given was, of course, unspecified violations of team rules. We now know, however, a little more of what preceded Cunningham’s suspension.
According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, the wide receiver was involved in a pair of legal incidents this offseason. The first, the paper writes, “involved a noise violation at his residence and a subsequent citation for failing to pay the fines in that case.”
The second one was a bit more serious as Cunningham was charged with misdemeanor theft of property. Cunningham has a trial date on that charge set for early November.
Cunningham told the Herald-Leader that, as it relates to the second charge, it was simply a “misunderstanding between the subject and myself.” He also denies that his suspension is connected to the two incidents.
UK has declined to say whether the issues were the impetus for the one-game ban.
Cunningham, who has not yet caught a pass during his three seasons in Lexington, is not listed on UK’s two-deep depth chart. He did, though, have eight catches for 80 yards in the spring game a few months ago.
Coming out of high school in Mobile, Ala., Cunningham was a three-star member of the Wildcats’ 2011 recruiting class.
(Photo credit: Kentucky athletics)