Florida State has dismissed running back Mario Pender from the team following his arrest
Florida State Seminoles running back Mario Pender has been dismissed from the football team following his arrest on charges of domestic violence by strangulation and resisting an officer. The news of Pender’s arrest broke on Saturday, and not long after that, Florida State issued a statement noting that he will no longer be part of the program.
"“Florida State Athletics announced today that Mario Pender has been permanently dismissed from the football team following his arrest earlier in the day. The Athletics Department will have no further comment at this time.”"
Pender, a fifth-year senior, came to Tallahassee with a lot of hype and promise, but his career with the Seminoles has been anything but successful. He’s struggled with seeing time on the field and he’s also dealt with a myriad of injuries along the way, including battling a collapsed lung during the 2015 season. Academic issues were a hindrance to his development as well.
He saw action in nine games during the 2014 season, but still only rushed for 206 yards on 41 carries with four touchdowns. The emergence of Dalvin Cook as one of the best running backs in the country certainly limited the time that he saw on the field as well.
However, now he has much bigger worries on his hands than how much time he does or does not see on the football field. When it comes to the college football off-season and the summer months, a lot of the times the news is not good and this is the case here once again.
The now former Florida State running back had his bond set at $500.
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