USC’s Jabari Ruffin suspended for half after groin stomp against Alabama
USC defensive end Jabari Ruffin has been disciplined by the team after stomping on the groin of Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick on Saturday.
Trojans head coach Clay Helton announced on Sunday that Ruffin will be suspended for the first half of next week’s game against Utah State and will also write an apology letter as part of his punishment, per Joey Kaufman of the Orange County Register.
Clay Helton said defensive end Jabari Ruffin is suspended for the first half of the Utah State game. He will also write an apology note.
— Joey Kaufman (@joeyrkaufman) September 5, 2016
“He understands his conduct is unbecoming of a Trojan and there will be zero tolerance moving forward,” Helton said, per Kyle Bonagura of ESPN. “Jabari is a good kid who made a poor emotional decision. I am sorry as the head coach [and] he is also. I know that it will not happen again.”
The incident occurred on a kick return in the second quarter of USC’s blowout 52-6 loss to Alabama at AT&T Stadium (video here). The senior Ruffin was immediately assessed a personal foul and ejected from the game.
