Mizzou Tigers Lose Another Player to Suspension, but Not for Breaking the Law

Another Mizzou Tiger is now suspended from the football team, but it appears that this time it is for breaking team rules, and not the law.

Mizzou team spokesperson Chad Moller said Monday that the latest Tiger suspension involves safety Jasper Simmons.

According to Moller, Simmons has been indefinitely suspended from the team for what is being called "the breaking of team rules."

Which rule Simmons broke is not being identified, and the manner of discipline is also not being released.

Simmons, a junior college transfer from Florida, has not played since the team's first game three weeks ago in St. Louis against Illinois. In that game, he injured the meniscus in his knee, which required surgery.

While Simmons is not in trouble with the law, he is just the latest Tiger to make headlines for the wrong reasons.

Former Tiger running back Derrick Washington is waiting to see what will happen as he stands charged in two different cases—one for sexual assault and the other for domestic assault.

Two other Tigers, linebacker Will Ebner and long snapper Beau Brinkley, were suspended from the team earlier this season after they were caught drinking and driving. They both have since been reinstated and are currently playing.

Earlier this summer, offensive line coach Bruce Walker was arrested in front of the Mizzou Training Complex for drinking and driving after a football coaches weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks. At this time, no official charges have been filed with this incident.

Also this summer, Mizzou senior safety Jarrell Harrison was arrested after a shoplifting incident at a Columbia mall. He was suspended indefinitely from the team, with the discipline being handled internally. Harrison is since back with the team and starting at free safety.

Head coach Gary Pinkel, to his credit, has absorbed the brunt of the effect of the actions of his players. Right after Washington, Ebner, and Brinkley were suspended, he fielded nearly a half hour of questions about the discipline of team.

Still, what does another team suspension, even if it is not for breaking the law, say about a team that is trying to identify itself as a contender for the Big 12 North title?

While the off the field issues have not distracted the team yet, as they are 4-0 so far this season, it might just be a matter of time before the two cross paths.

For now, the actions of one player are not bigger than the team.

The Tigers are off this weekend and will return to action next Saturday night at Memorial Stadium as they play their first Big 12 game of the season against Colorado.

Kickoff for that game will be just after 6:00.