North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren has suspended seven players for the team's upcoming game against Louisville for an incident involving BB guns. The incident reportedly took place at an off-campus residence.
Three of the seven players -- linebacker Jerod Fernandez, wide receiver Johnathan Alston and safety Josh Jones -- are starters on the team, and with NC State (4-3, 0-3 ACC) still searching for its first conference win under Doeren the road just got tougher. Fernandez and Jones rank first and fourth on the team in tackles, respectively, while Alston is the sixth-leading receiver with 131 yards and a score.
The four other players are backups: wide receiver Jumichael Ramos, defensive end Pharoah McKever, defensive back Mike Stevens and defensive tackle Justin Jones.
This is certainly not the first time college football players have been involved in BB gun-related incidents over the past few years. NC State's Atlantic Division foe Florida State had multiple players, including reigning Heisman winner Jameis Winston, questioned by police after a November 2012 incident involving BB guns causing property damage, though no suspensions were handed down. Earlier this season, four Kentucky players were suspended for similar reasons.
The length of NC State's multiple suspensions is not yet known.
With Louisville, Syracuse, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and North Carolina coming up on the schedule, NC State will need two more wins to reach bowl eligibility in Doeren's second season.
