Four Auburn Players Arrested - Kicked Off Team

Four Auburn players arrested; Chizik kicks them off team

PUBLISHED Friday, Mar 11, 2011 at 3:10 pm EST[/b]

Ken Bradley Sporting News

Friday, Auburn coach Gene Chizik said the four players arrested Friday morning were “permanently dismissed” from the team.

According to an Auburn Police Department statement, four people were arrested and charged with five counts of robbery first degree, one count of burglary first degree and one count of theft of property third degree.



Mike McNeil was one of four players arrested and kicked off the Auburn football team. (AP Photo)


The players are freshmen receivers Antonio Goodwin and Shaun Kitchens, senior safety Mike McNeil and freshman tight end Dakota Mosley.

“The players arrested in connection with this deeply troubling incident have been permanently dismissed from our football team,” Auburn coach Gene Chizik said in a statement. “While we realize the legal process will run its course and these young men have a right for their case to be heard, playing for Auburn University is an honor and a privilege. It is not a right.

“We hold our student-athletes to a high standard of conduct on and off the field as representatives of Auburn University, and this kind of behavior is not tolerated.”

In the police report provided by the Opelika-Auburn News, five victims said one of the males displayed a handgun. Personal property was stolen and no injuries were reported, according to the statement.

Each of the four players is being held at the Lee County Detention Center on $511,000 bond.

McNeil was sixth on the team in tackles with 56. Kitchens played in eight games, mostly on special teams, and had one reception. Goodwin played in 13 games, also mostly on special teams, but did not record a reception or tackle.