Two more Lobo FB players suspended

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - In football the term hell week usually refers to the two-a-day practices in the sweltering summer heat.

But new Lobo coach Bob Davie had his own hell week after two players were arrested in two days, and now two more are suspended.

All this as the team gets ready for their opener Saturday.

Starting defensive back Devonte Tabannah was arrested for DWI downtown this week. Then backup quarterback David Vega was arrested for underage drinking at his house. Now Rod Davis and Fatu Ulale were penalized as well for something they did last season.

Davie says a former coach gave the players a university number for Federal Express so they could mail packages home. Under NCAA rules, that's like cash and is not allowed.

"They're old enough to know right from wrong and the reality is it's illegal to do that. Even though they were told to do that, and even though the account was given to them to use, it's a mistake," said Coach Davie.

Davie said when he got wind of what happened he notified the NCAA.

Now Ulale and Davis will have to refund the money. Davie will not say how much, but both will miss games. Ulale will miss four and Davis two.

When asked if the troubles this week have been a downer for a man who is new on the job, Davie says he came to New Mexico for a reason.

"When I came into this, my eyes were wide open. That's not just at the University of New Mexico, that's any place a new head coach comes in," Davie said. "A new coach comes in for a reason. In fact I went through the whole spring where I said to our staff I'm surprised that there really weren't more issues."

Davie says the coach who gave the players the Fed-Ex number is no longer with the team.