Michigan Defensive Line Coach Gets Suspended

(LibertyInsider.org) – The University of Michigan recently overhauled its coaching staff for its NCAA football team. In January, longtime head coach Jim Harbaugh announced he was leaving to go coach the Los Angeles Chargers. Sherrone Moore replaced him and eventually hired Greg Scruggs as the defensive line coach, who started on March 6. Just 10 days later, Scruggs was suspended indefinitely.

In the early morning hours of March 16, the Ann Arbor Police Department arrested Scruggs on charges of driving while intoxicated. The news quickly reached the school, and an announcement was made just a few hours later that the new defensive line coach had been suspended indefinitely while the university investigated the matter.

Coach Moore made a statement to the press, acknowledging that Scruggs made “an unfortunate mistake” but “made no excuses,” per The Associated Press. The timing couldn’t have been worse. The football team’s spring practice started on Monday, March 18.

Michigan suspends defensive line coach Gregg Scruggs following drunk driving arrest https://t.co/S9FKaS4Hmf pic.twitter.com/5MVBqcmd1J

— The Independent (@Independent) March 16, 2024

This isn’t the only time Scruggs has been arrested for DUI, either. In late 2011, Bullitt County police in Kentucky took him into custody after he drove off the road and ran over a light pole. When officers approached the vehicle, they noticed signs of intoxication, including a strong odor of alcohol and red, glassy eyes. After he admitted going to a bar and drinking, they administered a field sobriety test, which he failed, and a breathalyzer; he blew a 0.117.

At the time, Scruggs was a college senior at the University of Louisville. The team released him following his arrest. He went on to be drafted by Seattle and played four seasons in the NFL before going on to coach both at the professional and college levels.

If convicted of the charges against him, Scruggs faces up to 93 days in jail, community service, and/or a $500 fine. He also may have his license suspended for six months.