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football Flashes’ Newton suspended
Tom Hardesty
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By David Carducci

Record-Courier staff writer

Kent State football coach Doug Martin suspended Charles Newton for the first two games of the regular season after the senior tight end was arrested by Kent State police Sunday and charged with drug abuse and driving under the influence.

Sunday was not Newton’s first brush with the law. On June 6, 2003, he was arrested by Kent police for driving under the influence of alcohol. That led to a fine of $250 and the loss of his drivers license for two years.

On Sept. 13,2003, he was charged for driving with the suspended license by Brimfield police.

The earlier offenses took place when Dean Pees was Kent State’s head coach. When Martin took over the reins of the program, he allowed all players to start off with a clean slate.

Martin suspended Newton for two games for the first violation of team rules under his watch. He had not beenÊsuspended for the earlier offenses. Another misstep will cost Newton his college football career.

“One of the things I’m trying to do as a head coach here is I am trying to change the image of Kent State football,

Good. I hope Martin breings the hammer down on these kids when they screw up. I do not advocate kicking kids off the team permanantly when the yscrew up unless it is a big problem. Suspensions, no playingtime, these things can snap a kid back to the straight and narrow. Lets hope this is his last run in.

It's sad, but these things need to be done. I guess Martin tossed or suspended another kid after he mouthed-off to the strength and conditioning coach. He's showing these kids that he's in charge. That's the first step to gaining the respect needed to take this team to the next level.
Good for him.

It's pretty clear that Charles Newton has a serious problem. I am quite surprised that he was not suspended for the earlier arrests. Three arrests in a little over a year indicate a pattern of reckless behavior that does not bode well for his future in society. Rather than play football again he needs to spend some time in rehab and maybe he can avoid jail.

Ditto, reno. Forget about football... Newton needs some help so he's got a life after the game.