Three Texas A&M players arrested

Three Texas A&M football players have been arrested on outstanding warrants, it has emerged.

Wide receiver Edward Pope, defensive linesman Gavin Stansbury and defensive back Howard Matthews Jr were all arrested on Thursday night.

KBTX in College Station tells the story like this: “College Station Police stopped a 2008 Pontiac on Texas Avenue, around 11:40 p.m. Thursday, for an expired registration. Edward Pope, a sophomore wide receiver, pulled into the Freebird’s parking lot. When police ran his license, they discovered Pope was wanted on a College Station municipal warrant for Failure to Appear. So, they arrested him.

In an attempt to find someone who could drive Pope’s car, police ran Gavin Stansbury’s license. Turns out, the senior defensive lineman he was wanted on assault charges in Harris County.

Police then ran Howard Matthews Jr’s license. Matthews, a senior defensive back, was wanted on three municipal warrants – Speeding, Failure to Exhibit Driver’s License, Failure to Appear.”

Apparently Stansbury was arrested for punching a kid at Rice University on March 16th. More disturbingly, Stansbury seems to have been harrassing a woman on Rice’s campus, too. “A second female witness says she met Stansbury while walking back from a party. She says Stansbury told her he was a Texas A&M football player, but was transferring to Rice next semester. She says she had to tell Stansbury to stop following her when she walked into the women’s restroom.”

Pope and Stansbury were both suspended in 2013 for two games for violating team rules after being arrested in the off-season.

Texas A&M said: “The Texas A&M Athletic Department released the following statement: “Gavin Stansbury was initially suspended from all athletic activities, but has since been reinstated to the team. Howard Matthews and Ed Pope are still members of the team.”

This news isn’t the first news that Coach Kevin Sumlin has had to deal with over the off-season which concerns players being arrested. Isaiah Golden was arrested on February 23rd for misdemeanour marijuana possession, while Darian Claiborne – who had already been arrested in December on a similar charge to Golden’s – was booked for a noise violation on the same weekend as Golden.

BOTTOM LINE: This blogger would be surprised if Stansbury is not kicked off the A&M team by September, and Pope will be lucky if he’s not too. And Claiborne, too.