Arkansas coach John Pelphrey suspended five players for violating team rules, according to an Associated Press report, so the Razorbacks will start the season against Alcorn State Nov. 13 without players who account for 67 percent of the team’s returning scoring.
Courtney Fortson, Stefan Welsh, Nick Mason, Marcus Britt and Glenn Bryant are suspended to start the season, though the length of their suspensions vary. Fortson and Welsh are out indefinitely, and Mason will miss all of the first semester. Britt will miss six games, and Bryant will sit out two games.
In addition to those five, sophomore forward Michael Sanchez is injured and will miss the opener.
Pelphrey did not specify the actions that warranted the suspensions, and he emphasized that he expects his team to meet high standards for behavior.
Britt, Fortson and Welsh were accused of raping an 18-year-old freshman at a fraternity party in August. The prosecutor for the case did not file charges because of insufficient evidence, and the woman and her attorney have requested that a special prosecutor handle the case. The woman and her attorney referenced a potential conflict of interest: The first prosecutor is the brother-in-law of an Arkansas athletic department spokesman and son-in-law of former athletic director Frank Broyles.
