9 Florida players face charges
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Standout receiver Antonio Callaway and running back Jordan Scarlett are among nine Florida football players facing felony fraud charges for allegedly transferring money from a stolen credit card and using it to buy electronics.
According to Alachua County court records, sworn complaints were filed Monday against the suspended players. The State Attorney’s Office will investigate the complaints and decide whether to formally charge the players with third-degree felony charges.
State Attorney Bill Cervone said Callaway transferred $1,970 from a stolen credit-card number to his campus bookstore debit account. Scarlett transferred $1,940 to his account from the same card number, Cervone said. Callaway and Scarlett then bought high-end computers and fancy headphones at the bookstore, Cervone said.
Five others — defensive lineman Keivonnis Davis, defensive lineman Richerd Desir-Jones, linebacker James Houston, linebacker Ventrell Miller and receiver Rick Wells — also made one charge with the stolen card number, ranging in value from $500 to $2,000, authorities said.
Those seven are eligible for a statutory diversion program that could lead to reduced charges and potentially improve their chances of returning to the team.
Defensive lineman Jordan Smith and offensive lineman Kadeem Telfort were more egregious offenders, according to university police reports. Smith is facing five charges, and Telfort is facing 30.
In other college football news:
• Florida is making a quarterback switch, giving Luke Del Rio another chance to start in place of Feleipe Franks after the redshirt freshman was benched in two of three games this season.
• Arkansas wide receiver Jared Cornelius will undergo surgery after an injury to his left Achilles and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Cornelius was hurt in the second half of the Razorbacks’ overtime loss to Texas A&M on Saturday.
• Sixth-ranked Washington will be without wide receiver Chico McClatcher for the rest of the season after he broke his left ankle in the Huskies’ victory over Colorado. Washington coach Chris Petersen said McClatcher likely will need surgery.
• South Alabama offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent was fired in the wake of the 1-3 Jaguars’ double-overtime loss to Idaho. South Alabama ranks 109th nationally in total offense, 105th in passing offense and 91st in scoring.
PRO BASKETBALL Cavaliers expect Thomas to play
Isaiah Thomas could be running the point for Cleveland by the end of the year.
The All-Star point guard, acquired from Boston this summer in a blockbuster trade, has made progress with his hip injury, and the Cavaliers expect him to be playing games by January.
Thomas has begun running and doing on-court activities as he rehabilitates the injury, which prematurely ended his postseason with the Celtics. Cleveland acquired him in a trade that sent All-Star point guard
Kyrie Irving to Boston, its biggest challenger in the East.