COLUMBIA, S.C. ? South Carolina starting quarterback Blake Mitchell was arrested for assault Wednesday after apparently punching another man in the eye and has been suspended from the team, according to police and a Gamecocks spokesman. Mitchell, 21, was charged with simple assault, a misdemeanor. He had a bond hearing Wednesday afternoon and was released on his own recognizance. Mitchell was suspended indefinitely from the team by coach Steve Spurrier, according to athletic department spokesman Steve Fink. A Columbia police report said Mitchell was involved in an incident early Wednesday at a bar near the university. The complainant, listed as Kylan Ertzberger, told police Mitchell approached him about 1:45 a.m. and "initiated a verbal confrontation." As Ertzberger turned away, Mitchell "punched him in his left eye," according to the report. The report said Ertzberger told Mitchell "he did not like that the subject tried to enter (the bar) with underage girls." That's when the confrontation took place. Police arrived at the scene about 30 minutes later, the report said. Ertzberger is not a member of the football team, and Fink did not think Ertzberger was part of any athletic team. A message left for Ertzberger was not immediately returned. Mitchell, a junior, came to South Carolina before the 2003 season and had started 11 games last season and both contests this year. On Spurrier's weekly radio show before the Gamecocks' opener at Mississippi State on Aug. 31, the coach said Mitchell has a chance to surprise a lot of people and become the all-Southeastern Conference quarterback this fall. Mitchell and the offense, though, have struggled. He has completed 28 of 44 passes for 247 yards with one interception and no touchdowns. The Gamecocks take on Wofford this Saturday. It's not the first time a starting South Carolina quarterback has gotten into trouble. In 1993, Steve Taneyhill was arrested for underage possession of beer at a party the night after the Gamecocks defeated Georgia 23-21 in Athens. He pleaded no contest and performed 30 hours of community service in exchange for having the charge removed from his record. Link To Original Article
