Hurrican Moore Could be Charged With Felony

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Miami receiver Ryan Moore is expected to face a felony charge for his role in an August altercation with two women, and will not accompany the Hurricanes to Georgia Tech for their game Saturday.


The felony charge is not why Moore isn't traveling to Atlanta on Friday, Miami coach Larry Coker said.

"I probably know a lot more about it than you do right now and I won't go into that," Coker said. "But I will say that he will not travel."

Moore, who has not played this season because of an indefinite suspension levied after that incident, is expected to play against Virginia Tech on Nov. 4, Coker said.

While Moore won't be playing, starting linebacker Jon Beason -- who wasn't expected to be available for the Georgia Tech game because of a left knee injury suffered against Florida International on Oct. 14 -- may be on the field Saturday.

Beason practiced Thursday and "will be available," Coker said. Beason will not, however, start the game.

"He's genetically gifted, I guess," Coker said. "He's come along fast. He looked like he had not missed a beat. ... Just having him there and available means a lot to us. It will make me sleep better at night, I know that."

Moore has caught 82 passes for 1,205 yards and nine touchdowns in 33 career games with the Hurricanes (5-2, 2-1), who are a half-game behind No. 21 Georgia Tech (5-2, 3-1) in the Atlantic Coast Conference's Coastal Division.

Moore was suspended Aug. 26, hours after police said he kicked a woman's car door, then grabbed her by the neck and pushed her down. A second woman got out of the car and Moore allegedly threatened her, police said.

Moore was arrested Oct. 18 and charged with two misdemeanors -- criminal mischief and simple battery, the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office said. But the mischief charge will be upgraded to a felony because of the amount of damage done to the car.

Still, even with the more severe charge, Moore -- a first-time offender -- will be offered a pretrial diversion program, which will include restitution to the victim, community service hours, and anger control classes, prosecutors said.

Moore did not practice Thursday, Coker said.

"I held him out of practice because he's not going to travel so we are not going to get him turns to get him ready to play," Coker said. "We want to get the guys ready that will play."

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press