Reserve quarterback suspended 4 games for team rules violation

CORAL GABLES — As the Miami Hurricanes move through one of the most critical portions of their schedule, they will be without one of their reserve quarterbacks, redshirt freshman Cade Weldon.

Weldon, Miami announced on Tuesday, is suspended for four games after violating an undisclosed team rule. According to a statement issued by the school, Weldon’s suspension began with Saturday’s 28-27 win over FSU.

His suspension will include Miami’s games at Virginia, at Boston College and against Duke. The first game the quarterback will be eligible to play in, if the four-game suspension holds, will be Nov. 10 at Georgia Tech.

During his weekly news conference, Hurricanes coach Mark Richt — who coached Weldon’s father Casey Weldon when he was the 1991 Heisman Trophy runner-up at Florida State — did not give any specifics about the rule the younger Weldon violated, but said Miami is supporting the quarterback as he works through his suspension.

Weldon had been third on Miami’s depth chart behind fellow redshirt freshman N’Kosi Perry and redshirt senior Malik Rosier. He was ahead of true freshman Jarren Williams, who now presumably slides into the No. 3 spot.

“We have certain things, certain standards around here and if you don’t do what you’re supposed to do, how you’re supposed to do it, there’ll be consequences,” Richt said. “We love Cade. People don’t understand sometimes, but when you discipline your child, it means you love them. If you break down the word and what it means in Greek or wherever it came from, it has to do with loving someone enough to hold them accountable to the things they need to be held accountable to.

“We’re disciplining him. There’s the punitive damage of games not being able to be a part of. there’ll be some early morning fun, but there’ll also be counseling and we’ll hug him and love him and once he handles his discipline like a man, then he’ll be in good standing and we’ll move on.”

Weldon is the second Hurricanes quarterback to face a suspension this year.

Perry, who started the season as Rosier’s backup but has now risen to become Miami’s starter, was suspended for the Hurricanes’ opener last month against LSU. The quarterback has been in good standing since and has earned praise from coaches for his increased maturity.

With his future unclear because of the suspension and his standing on the depth chart, Richt was asked Tuesday if he worried Weldon might grow frustrated and potentially transfer from Miami.

“You can’t worry about that. You just can’t get tired of doing things right and doing things in a way that you think is in the best interest of the program and the player,” Richt said. “If it works for somebody, great. If it doesn’t, I can’t control that. But I know everybody’s treated fairly and everybody knows what’s up on the front end. There’s no shock value going on right now.”

Weldon, who was a three-star prospect coming out of high school, has appeared in three games this season. He has completed 2-of-3 passes for 14 yards and has rushed twice for five yards with a touchdown.

Despite his suspension, he was seen working with Miami’s quarterbacks during the media viewing portion of Tuesday’s practice.