Sammy Watkins appears in football gear during Clemson's spring game. (File/FOX Carolina)CLEMSON, SC (FOX Carolina) -
Clemson football star Sammy Watkins will not play in the first two games of the upcoming season, according to the school's athletics department.
The punishment comes after Watkins was arrested during a traffic stop May 3. Police said he had a bag of marijuana and two pills for which he did not have a prescription. He was charged with two counts of possession, both misdemeanor charges.
"I told Sammy this past May that there would be a high end and a low end, and it would be up to him as to the length of his suspension," said Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney."He has done everything we have asked and then some, so the two-game suspension is the low end."
Swinney said football will never be more important to him than teaching important life lessons.
Watkins was eligible for a pretrial intervention program as a first-time offender. Swinney said Watkins finished those responsibilities last week.
"I accept this suspension," Watkins said. "I made a mistake and realized that when this first happened. One thing we learn in this program is that there are consequences for your actions. The entire summer has been a learning experience. I am ready to get past this and look forward to Sept. 15 when I can return to game day in Death Valley."
The Tigers are scheduled to start their season Sept. 1 against Auburn at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The second game, against Ball State, is scheduled for Sept. 8.
Watkins' first game will be against Furman on Sept. 15.
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