Should Dunlap play? SEC coaches weigh in By Jon Solomon -- The Birmingham News <http://connect.al.com/user/jsolomon/index.html>
December 01, 2009, 10:58AM Florida defensive end Carlos Dunlap's arrest for DUI four days before the SEC Championship Game puts Urban Meyer in a precarious position. Dunlap is the Gators' highest-rated NFL prospect and was the MVP of the BCS Championship Game last season. In other words, he's a difference-maker. I happened to talk to a couple SEC coaches this morning for a different story this week. South Carolina's Steve Spurrier and Kentucky's Rich Brooks weighed in on the impact if Dunlap doesn't play and how to handle his discipline. "If it happened on a Thursday, I definitely wouldn't bring him to a game," Spurrier said. "But Monday night, I might talk it over with the coaching staff and maybe even some seniors and captains and get an opinion on what the team wants to do with it and possibly handle it internally. It's a fine line between hurting the team and punishing a player to hurt the team. We've had some players who smoked pot and they automatically got their three-game suspension. I could kick them off forever, but I don't." Spurrier acknowledged that DUI is "a very serious thing. But what's amazing is if you smoke pot, you are automatically suspended a game or two (at some SEC schools). But there's nothing in the manual at most universities about a DUI." Spurrier pointed out that Georgia has a policy for alcohol-related offenses. Any Georgia athlete arrested for the first time due to alcohol or drugs is suspended for at least 10 percent of the season. A second offense results in at least a 30-percent suspension and a third offense results in a permanent suspension and the termination of the scholarship. "I don't think Florida does that. I don't think we do," Spurrier said. "Personally, I think we all should have the same (policy) in the SEC regarding these types of situations." Brooks' reaction to the Dunlap's arrest the week of Florida's biggest game: "Wow. Unbelievable. He's quite a player. He's so big and athletic and physical. He's very hard to block. I think they have very good depth. I'm sure they have some good options. But losing him would certainly hurt them." Spurrier described Dunlap as a "big, lanky, active player. He's all over the place. I think what he does best is knock down passes. He's obviously one of the best defensive players in the country." The arrest also creates a distraction for the Gators, who are trying to win their third national championship in the past four seasons. "It's obviously something you don't want to have happen," Brooks said. "It can be a distraction and it can be a rallying point for the rest of the players that one guy's not going to make the difference. It can go both ways. I'm sure Urban Meyer will handle it and do a good job -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
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