KNOXVILLE - One Tennessee safety temporarily withdrew from school earlier last week. The other ran into some off the field trouble early Sunday morning.
UT coach Derek Dooley suspended starting strong safety Brent Brewer indefinitely pending the results of an investigation following his arrest early Sunday morning on a misdemeanor charge of domestic assault. According to the Knox County Sheriff's Office arrest list, Brewer, after turning himself in this morning, was released after his $1,500 bond was set.
"Without knowing all the facts, any domestic incident warrants a suspension from all team-related activities until a thorough investigation is concluded," Dooley said in a statement. "We respect everyone's right to the legal process, but also acknowledge a greater standard of conduct associated with the privilege of being a member of the Tennessee football team."
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Brewer, a former minor league baseball player who signed with the Vols last May, started the final six games at strong safety alongside Janzen Jackson, who voluntarily withdrew from UT for the spring semester due to personal reasons last Monday. The 22-year-old Brewer made 30 tackles and was slated to enter spring practice next month entrenched in UT's thin secondary.
UT signed eight defensive backs in its 2011 recruiting class, including junior college players Byron Moore and Izauea Lanier.
UT defensive end and former Ooltewah star Jacques Smith was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of simple assault in October following a bar altercation and did not miss any games.
More details as they develop online and in tomorrow's Times Free Press.