USC Gamecock's Saunders suspended from team

Weslye Saunders, the South Carolina tight end embroiled in an NCAA investigation, has been “temporarily suspended” from the team, Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier said Monday night. Saunders was not at Monday’s practice, the first one the senior has missed since being linked last month to the NCAA’s wide-ranging probe of possible illegal agent activity involving players at a number of SEC and ACC schools. But Spurrier said Saunders was suspended for an undisclosed violation of team rules, and it had “nothing to do with the NCAA” investigation. "Weslye has been, I guess you’d say, temporarily suspended for a violation of team rules," Spurrier said. "and his situation will be determined a little later." Likewise, Spurrier said the suspension was not tied to Saunders’ involvement with the Whitney Hotel. Saunders is one of at least seven players under NCAA scrutiny for their long-term living arrangements at the Shandon-area hotel. The players were asked to vacate the hotel last week and pay any outstanding balances. "I said team rules," Spurrier said. "Whitney don’t have nothing to do with our team."