PROVO, Utah (AP) -BYU running back Manase Tonga, arrested during a traffic stop earlier this month, will miss the season opener for violating team rules.
Tonga can practice with the Cougars when his legal problems are resolved, but he will not play when BYU meets Arizona on Sept. 1, coach Bronco Mendenhall said.
“There is an expectation of conduct associated with being a member of this football program. I believe Manase has learned a very valuable lesson from this and we look forward to having him back,” Mendenhall said in a statement.
Tonga was pulled over for running a stop sign on July 3. He was arrested for failing to pay an $82 fine from an earlier identical offense. Police said he also gave a false name.
Tonga, a junior this season, ran for 297 yards and two touchdowns in 2006. He also caught 23 passes, including two for touchdowns.
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