No. 4 Baylor defenders Oakman, Stewart suspended for opener

Published Sep. 4, 2015 2:06 a.m. ET

foxsports

DALLAS (AP) Fourth-ranked Baylor will be without defensive end Shawn Oakman and safety Orion Stewart in its season opener Friday night at SMU. The two starters have been suspended after violating unspecified team rules.

A school spokesman said Oakman and Stewart would both be back for the Bears' home opener Sept. 12 against Lamar. The school gave no other details.

Both were All-Big 12 selections last season. The 6-foot-9, 275-pound Oakman had 19 1/2 tackles for loss and 11 sacks, while Stewart had 82 tackles and four interceptions.

Already in the days leading up to the Bears' most anticipated season, the school also hired a Philadelphia law firm this week to do an independent investigation into the university's handling of sexual assault complaints, including one that led to the conviction against former transfer Sam Ukwuachu.