Duke suspends Michael Tauiliili from football program

Posted Monday, August 6, 2007

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Durham, NC - Duke head football coach Ted Roof announced on Sunday that junior linebacker Michael Tauiliili (TAU-ee-lee-ee-lee) has been suspended indefinitely from the program for violation of team policies. Tauiliili was arrested Saturday on charges including driving while impaired, failing to stop after an accident, assault by pointing a gun (an air pistol), carrying a concealed weapon (a knife) and simple assault.

"It concerns me and is disappointing when one of our players puts himself in a difficult circumstance off the football field," said Roof. "I will investigate and deal with this situation with the seriousness it deserves. Michael will be suspended indefinitely from the team until we have learned all the facts."

A native of Houston, Texas, Tauiliili led the Blue Devils in tackles in each of his first two seasons. As a rookie in 2005, he posted 92 tackles and received Freshman All-America and ACC Defensive Freshman of the Year honors from The Sporting News. Last fall, Tauiliili carded 94 total stops and ranked eighth in the ACC with his 7.8 tackles per game average.

In 23 career games at Duke, Tauiliili has registered 186 tackles and 20.0 tackles for loss while earning the program's co-Most Outstanding Defensive Player award in both 2005 and 2006.

The Blue Devils will hold their first practice on Monday, August 6. Duke opens the season at home versus Connecticut on Saturday, September 1 at 2 p.m. in Wallace Wade Stadium.