Five Rutgers University football players have been dismissed from the team following a violent two-week spree of home invasion robberies and an unprovoked assault that left another student with a broken jaw.
Coach Kyle Flood announced the dismissals just before the Scarlet Knights' season opener against Norfolk State Saturday. Rutgers won that game, a lopsided 63-13 victory against the Spartans.
In a statement issued Friday, the school said that the alleged behavior of the players and two other students involved warranted a suspension, but added that they may appeal the ruling.
The players had already been suspended by the school's athletic department following the spate of robberies in April and May and the violent attack five blocks from the school's New Brunswick campus.
Authorities announced they had charged Scarlet Knights players Andre Boggs, 20, Ruhann Peele, 20, Nadir Barnwell, 20, Rahzonn Gross, 20, and Delon Stephenson, 22, following an investigation into the robberies and attack. Former players Tejay Johnson and Daryl Stephenson -- Delon Stephenson's brother -- were also charged.
Authorities had said that Johnson and Boggs were involved in three armed robbery attempts between April 26 and May 5. The other players, along with Johnson, were accused of attacking a group of students and breaking a 19-year-old's jaw.
Boggs is one of the team's starting cornerbacks, while Delon Stephenson lines up at free safety. Peele, Barnwell and Gross were expected to start the season as reserves. Johnson ended his career with the team in 2014 due to injuries, while Daryl Stephenson left the team after the 2015 season.
