UNC suspends Bowman, Thomas and Sparkman

CHAPEL HILL --- University of North Carolina football players Adarius Bowman, Fred Sparkman and Isaiah Thomas have been suspended indefinitely from all team activities. The suspensions are a result of their alleged roles in an incident late Sunday evening in which they were cited for simple possession of marijuana by UNC public safety officers.

Bowman, a sophomore wide receiver from Chattanooga, Tenn., has 18 receptions for a team-high 329 yards (18.3/catch, 54.8/game). Sparkman, a sophomore linebacker from Columbia, Tenn., leads the team with 61 tackles. Thomas, a sophomore defensive tackle from Winston-Salem, N.C., is on the two-deep and has recorded 9 tackles thus far this season.

"I can't remember a time when I was more disappointed," says head coach John Bunting. "The last thing we need after an exciting win like we had Saturday evening was an off-the-field situation that would embarrass the University and this football program. The young men involved will not play until Director of Athletics Dick Baddour and I determine otherwise. It is important to note that all three student-athletes deny their involvement with these charges and we are looking into that at this time.

"Our seniors have demonstrated good leadership all year and I expect they will once again step forward to meet this challenge. I'm proud of the young men who are making the right choices each day to make this program successful."