Just ahead of Mississippi State’s season opener earlier this month, head coach Dan Mullen announced that linebacker Chris Hughes was one of five players suspended due to violations of unspecified team rules.
Hughes hasn’t played in the two games since, either. And now, thanks to Brandon Marcello of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, we have a fairly decent idea as to why Hughes has been kept off the field.
According to the paper, Hughes was arrested on Aug. 31 and charged with two counts of misdemeanor domestic violence stemming from a pair of incidents that occurred back in late May. Hughes was actually in jail for five days -- in this day and age, it’s unbelievable that had gone unreported -- following the arrest in his hometown of Mobile, Ala. From the Clarion-Ledger as to what led to the arrest:
Hughes allegedly struck a 17-year-old family member in the left eye on May 23, and hit a 36-year-old family member “several times” in the face during a dispute concerning a car on May 24, [Mobile Police Department public information officer Charles] Levy said.
Head coach Dan Mullen declined to address the situation Wednesday, and gave no indication when Hughes will be returning.
As a true freshman in 2010, Hughes played in 11 of 13 games. One of the games he missed was due to a suspension, although that one was mandated by the SEC for “going to the head and neck area of a defenseless UAB player” during a game last October.
