Marcus Sales is back as a full member of the Syracuse football team, head coach Doug Marrone announced in a press conference Friday.

The senior wide receiver was arrested in July on felony drug charges, but those charges have been dropped.

‘He is on the football team,’ Marrone said. ‘He is enrolled at the school and has no issues there, so there is no problem with him being a part of this football team.’

Since his arrest, Sales had been suspended from the team indefinitely. The charges were dropped Oct. 26 after an Onondaga County grand jury did not find enough evidence to charge Sales with drug possession.

Marrone could not comment on the situation until the university’s student judicial process was complete.

The charges Sales faced included fifth- and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, unlawful possession of marijuana and violating the city’s open container law.

Sales’ brother, Michael, was sentenced to five year’s probation in connection with the same drug case. Michael Sales was in the car with Marcus when the two were pulled over by Syracuse police in July.

Hunt will not participate in spring practice

Marrone also announced Friday that freshman quarterback Terrel Hunt will not participate in spring practice as a result of his suspension from the team.

Hunt, a backup who didn’t see time on the field in 2011, was arrested Jan. 25 after police said he stole from a Hollister store in Carousel Center. Police said Hunt stole a $44 bottle of ‘Breakline Fragrance.’

‘Right now in the program we have 79 total players in the program,’ Marrone said. ‘If we went out there today, we would have about 70 players who can practice. We have eight players who are injured and one player who is not going to participate this spring due to suspension, Terrel Hunt.’

mjcohe02@syr.edu

Published on March 2, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Michael: mjcohe02@syr.edu | @Michael_Cohen13