Colorado lineman sent home

Senior linebacker might play in bowl game despite arrest

? Colorado has sent home one of two football players arrested on public intoxication charges along the River Walk.

Starting senior linebacker Drew Wahlroos and freshman defensive tackle Will Down were arrested early Tuesday. The Buffaloes are in San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl.

Wahlroos, 22, practiced with the Buffaloes later Tuesday and was seen running extra wind sprints after the team’s afternoon workout at Alamo Heights High School, but he ignored reporters as he boarded the team bus.

The 6-foot-3, 280-pound Down, who is from Escondido, Calif., also was charged with failure to identify himself to police after the 2 a.m. arrests Tuesday.

Dave Plati, Colorado sports information director, said Down, 18, was sent home later in the morning on Tuesday.

“There were different, varying stages of what they did,” Plati said of why Down was sent home and Wahlroos remained with the team. Plati would not elaborate.

Colorado coach Gary Barnett said Down and Wahlroos will be disciplined “within the program.” But he declined to comment whether the punishments would resonate into Saturday’s Alamo Bowl against Wisconsin.

Barnett said he had yet to decide on whether to take disciplinary action.

“I’ve always had a record of being very tough in these matters,” the coach said, “and I’ll probably follow that record.”

Wahlroos, a 6-3, 230-pounder from Poway, Calif., was an honorable mention on the Associated Press All-Big 12 team this season. He was third in tackles among Buffalo defensive players with 85 and he had one interception.

Down did not play for Colorado during the regular season and was listed as inactive for the Alamo Bowl due to a back injury.

Both players were released from custody about 8:20 a.m., according to the city magistrate’s office. They were both ordered to appear in city court to face charges on Jan. 7.