NC State junior J.R. Sweezy, a projected starter at defensive tackle, has been indefinitely suspended following his late-night arrest for allegedly assaulting a shuttle bus driver.
Sweezy, 20, faces charges of misdemeanor assault and misdemeanor larceny after the incident, which took place at 2:37 a.m. Thursday in his hometown of Mooresville, N.C. Police said Sweezy was asked to leave the shuttle bus but knocked over the driver's tip jar on his way out. The driver and another man confronted the 6-foot-5, 293-pound Sweezy, leading to the altercation. Not surprisingly, police say underage drinking was a factor.
This isn't the kind of news NC State wants to hear, especially after losing all four starters on its defensive line.
Sweezy and senior Natanu Mageo entered spring practice as the starters at defensive tackle. Sweezy appeared in all 12 games last season, starting one, and recorded 26 tackles, including three sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. Sophomore Brian Slay has been backing up Sweezy in spring practice and likely will move into a starting role.
Slay came on strong toward the end of the 2009 season and recorded eight quarterback pressures.