Florida Star Fails Drug Test

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- No. 5 Florida could be without its best defensive lineman for five games, including a key stretch of Southeastern Conference games against Alabama, LSU, Auburn and Georgia.

According to several radio and newspaper reports, defensive tackle Marcus Thomas has been suspended five games for failing a second drug test.

Thomas, a senior from Jacksonville who leads the team with three sacks, spent part of Wednesday in meetings with school officials to appeal the suspension he received earlier this week for marijuana use, the Orlando Sentinel reported on its Web site.

Thomas' mother, Sheila Mote, told the newspaper her son tested positive twice for marijuana between the middle of July and the end of August. But she and her son believe both results indicate only one use of the drug.

"Basically, we think he's being hit with double-jeopardy," she said. "He's being hit twice with the same mistake. I'm behind him 100 percent."

Mote said her son ingested marijuana at a party this summer. When he returned to campus in July, he failed a first drug test, which prompted school officials to suspend him for the season opener.

A second test, which Mote said came three to four weeks after the first, also came back positive. According to the school's substance-abuse policy, Thomas was suspended for 50 percent of the season.

Coach Urban Meyer refused to confirm Thomas' suspension Wednesday on the Southeastern Conference teleconference.

"That's something I'll address at the appropriate time," Meyer said.

Thomas has the right to appeal any suspension to athletic director Jeremy Foley. Athletes are allowed to present circumstances that might have influenced the test. Under the policy, Foley then makes a recommendation to the Substance Abuse Committee, which handed down the original suspension, about whether to change the conditions of the punishment.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press