Ohio State DL Tracy Sprinkle back with team after July arrest
Less than a month after being booted from the team due to multiple charges following a bar fight, defensive lineman Tracy Sprinkle is back on Ohio State’s roster.
A team spokesman confirmed to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer that Sprinkle was back with the team as preseason camp began Monday. He participated in practice Monday morning.
The 19-year-old Sprinkle initially faced charges of rioting, failure to disperse and cocaine possession stemming from a large fight outside the “Grown & Sexy Bar” in Lorain, Ohio in the early morning hours of July 5. The scene was described as a “riot” by police and Sprinkle was arrested after engaging in a fight after being told to disperse by officers.
After being apprehended, police found 0.2 ounces of cocaine in stuffed into the seat of the police car that Sprinkle was placed in. Sprinkle pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and he was initially dismissed from the team on July 7.
Almost a month later, on August 1, Sprinkle pleaded no contest to a drastically reduced charge of failure to comply. Sprinkle’s attorney said that the redshirt freshman had his blood, urine and hair tested for controlled substances “two days after his arrest.” When all tests came up clean, his charges were reduced and he avoided all felony charges. Instead of facing jail time, Sprinkle will be on probation for two years and was fined $500.
Buckeyes head coach said at Big Ten Media Days last week that Sprinkle was no longer with the program and that his status would be monitored as the legal process played out.
The 6-foot-3, 282-pound Sprinkle was a three-star recruit in the class of 2013 and did not play in his first year on campus. He was expected to compete for playing time in a reserve role in 2014.
For more Ohio State news, visit BuckeyeGrove.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
