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Last updated on Wednesday, September 30, 2015
(Bloomington, IN) - Hoosiers defensive tackle Darius Latham has been suspended indefinitely from the program.
Latham was suspended indefinitely pending the resolution of a proceeding with IU's Office of Student Ethics. In a two-sentence statement, the athletic department says it will have no further comment "until the proceeding is concluded."
This marks the second suspension this season for Latham, one of the top defensive players on Indiana's 4-0 football team.He was one of nine suspended for undisclosed reasons during the Hoosiers' season opener on Sept. 5.
According to its website, the Office of Student Ethics typically handles reports of academic misconduct, personal misconduct or sexual assault/misconduct.
Latham, a former four-star recruit, has provided a major boost to Indiana's defensive line during his two-plus seasons in the program. He originally committed to Wisconsin, before flipping to join IU's heralded 2013 recruiting class, which focused on bringing some of the top in-state talent to Bloomington.
The Herald Times reports, Latham was one of three local four-star prospects to sign with IU during that cycle, joining Ben Davis safety Antonio Allen and Pike linebacker David Kenney. After taking a personal leave of absence prior to last season, David Kenney transferred to Illinois State. Antonio Allen was dismissed from the IU program in June following his arrest on felony drug dealing charges, and later transferred to Indiana State.
IU football players have stayed relatively out of trouble during Kevin Wilson's five years as head coach, but recent incidents have changed that perception.
In April, defensive lineman Ralph Green III was initially charged with misdemeanor battery, public intoxication and disorderly conduct. In July, he was sentenced to 50 hours of community service and one year of probation. The battery and public intoxication charges were dropped in a plea agreement with Green pleading guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct for unreasonable noise. A month later, receiver Isaac Griffith was arrested on OWI charges. His case is still pending.
Following Allen's arrest on drug charges, the suspension of the nine players for the Southern Illinois game raised further questions about athlete behavior. Wilson said after that Sept. 5 contest that suspensions were levied for a variety of reasons, including missed classes and other incidents that didn't meet team standards.
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