Zeigler, Smith Won't Return to Hoosiers

Bloomington, Ind. – The recent legal troubles of Dennis Zeigler and Cortez Smith have brought an end to their IU football careers.

IU Coach Bill Lynch announced Friday that Zeigler and Smith won’t be returning to the team. In addition, IU’s press release noted that sophomore defensive tackle Jeff Boyd is also leaving the program to pursue other options.

The departure of Zeigler and Smith comes as no surprise after their arrests late last month for their alleged involvement in an off campus robbery. Each was charged with a pair of felonies following the incident where wallets, cell phones, I-Pods, an X-Box and marijuana were stolen from a nearby apartment.

Smith faces Class-B felony charges of robbery and burglary for his role in the incident, while Zeigler has been charged with a Class-B conspiracy to commit burglary and a Class-C conspiracy to commit robbery.

Both players were immediately suspended from the team after their arrests, and Friday’s news brings an end to their IU careers as they continue to sort out their legal issues.

Boyd, meanwhile, has opted to leave the program after playing in seven games as a redshirt freshman last fall.

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