Tennessee has indefinitely suspended defensive back Kenneth George Jr. amid allegations he punched a police officer, coach Jeremy Pruitt announced.
George pleaded not guilty to third-degree felony charges of battery of a police officer and resisting an officer with violence, and misdemeanor charges of resisting an officer without violence and disorderly conduct.
The charges are the result of an incident that occurred last Thursday in Miami Beach in which police said he yelled profanities at an officer, ignored his commands and then punched him in the head.
He was in Florida during the school’s spring break.
“He’s been suspended indefinitely from the team until we gather more information and let it run its course,” Pruitt said Tuesday.
“We don’t tolerate behavior like that, and we’re going to support all law enforcement that we come in contact with. We want our kids to do the right thing. We’re going to respect the law. But at the same time, we’re going to support Kenneth through this, and we’ll see where it goes.”
George, who is from Lafayette, La., transferred to the Volunteers in 2018 from Trinity Valley Community College in Texas. He appeared in four games and made three tackles.