Notre Dame boots one player, suspends another after 6 arrests
Max Redfield has been kicked off Notre Dame’s football team and Devin Butler has been suspended indefinitely, coach Brian Kelly said in a statement released Sunday afternoon.
Redfield, a senior safety, was one of six Irish football players arrested over the weekend in two separate incidents.
Four other players — Te’von Coney, Kevin Stepherson, Dexter Williams and Ashton White — along with Redfield, were arrested Friday and booked in Fulton County, Ind., Jail on misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana after a traffic stop. Redfield, Stepherson and Williams also were charged with possession of a handgun without a license, according to Indiana State Police.
Redfield, who was expected to start this season, was sent home from the Fiesta Bowl last season for violating team rules.
In a separate incident early Saturday morning, cornerback Butler, a senior, was arrested on preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement and battery of a police officer after he allegedly hit a cop during an altercation outside a South Bend, Ind., bar.
Kelly said he met with all those arrested as well as university officials during the last 24 hours.
“That process has only served to deepen my disappointment in the poor decisions made by these young men,” Kelly said in a statement. “Their conduct fell short of what we expect from those who represent our football team and this great university.”
Kelly said Coney, Stepherson, Williams and White will be punished internally by the university and stressed that each “remain subject to the justice system and university discipline,” meaning the players could be punished further.
School discipline is the responsibility of Notre Dame’s Office of Community Standards.
“Even within that system, there are times when a player’s conduct so clearly fails to meet the standards I have set for our football team that it is appropriate to take any action independent of any decision that might be made by the Office of Community Standards. This is such an instance.”
Kelly said the standard of expectations is high, even more so for upperclassmen.
“Max and, at least at this stage in the review of his case, Devin, have failed in that regard and so have lost the privilege of continuing to be part of our team.”
Kelly last week praised Redfield’s progress from five-star recruit to up-and-down player to what he expected to be a big-time contributor this season.
“He’s been that guy that everybody was hoping for out of high school,” Kelly said last week. “He’s playing at that level; he’s at an elite level.”
A Fulton County Jail spokesperson said the five players arrested there all posted bonds ranging between $300 and $500.
Butler posted $1,000 bond Saturday afternoon. Formal charges haven’t been filed against him, according to the South Bend Tribune. The state said it will further investigate the matter, during which Butler is alleged to have tackled and struck an officer, before deciding whether to formally charge him with either or both of the felonies sometime Wednesday.
According to court documents, Butler was apologetic during the ride to jail and said he was “incredibly emotional and intoxicated.”
Butler broke his left foot in June and wasn’t expected to return until October at the earliest.
Notre Dame begins the season Sept. 4 at Texas.