4 Grambling Players Arrested for Rape

Four Grambling football players were suspended from the team Wednesday pending an investigation into an accusation that they and a fifth student raped a 14-year-old girl on Saturday night.

The men were arrested Tuesday and each was charged with one count of forcible rape and one count of aggravated oral sexual battery. All five were being held at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center in Ruston, La., on Wednesday with bond set at $50,000 each.

Those arrested were identified as Michael Gooden, Marlon Jones, Emmitt Smith, Dalin Smith and Christopher Sorrell.

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Boston College cornerback Kiernan Speight, accused but exonerated in the gambling scandal that led to the suspension of 13 teammates, said he will not return to the team. . . . The football-only Yankee Conference will be absorbed by the Atlantic 10 Conference, effective next season. The new league will be known as the Atlantic 10 Football Conference.

Paul Johnson, who has spent the last two years as offensive coordinator for Navy, has been named coach at Georgia Southern. He replaces Frank Ellwood, who guided his team to a 3-7 record this season with one game remaining. . . . A judge’s ruling has cleared the way for Texas Tech offensive guard Casey Jones to play for the rest of the season despite being ruled ineligible by the NCAA for academic shortcomings.