In a fifth for scholarship players of the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, linebacker Ross Rasner was recently arrested by the UA Police under charges of substance abuse.
Rasner, 19, was arrested on the morning of April 15 and booked into the Washington County Detention Center around 1:22 am for possession of marijuana and alcohol and was hence charged with ‘possession of a controlled substance’ and being a ‘minor in possession of alcohol’.
The officer who made the arrest found Rasner in a car in the college parking lot with marijuana wrapped up in a paper towel
and Crown Royal bag that contained an approximately 75% full open bottle. He was later released at 3:55 am on a bail of $825 and has ever since been suspended from the team.
As mentioned, this the fifth time that a scholarship player of the Arkansas Razorbacks since last June. Not only that, but this is the 18th time since Bobby Petrino became the head coach in 2007. Among these, since October, five of them have been charged with possession of a controlled substance. DeQuinta Jones and Lance Ray both have been charged with possession of marijuana and while Jones was suspended for a game, Ray has not returned to practice owing to an indefinite suspension.
With all the glory and fame surrounding college football, players should know better to stay as far away from alcohol and drug not only since these tarnish their and their team’s image but also since they affect performance. However, on the contrary, among college athletes, including football players, alcohol abuse is a chronic problem. A surprising 80% of college athletes confess to abusing alcohol and majority also say that drinking problems started for them towards the end of high school.
Alcohol’s chronic and acute abuse can cause a variety of problems in football players. Apart from impeding player performance, it can cause hand tremors, impaired balance, problem tracking reduction in reaction time among others.
However, when it comes to the Razorbacks, it’s not only the players but it seems that even the coach needs to maintain a strict vigil since 18 is quite a number.
