UTSA's standout football star Joshua Cephus has been suspended from the team after a report revealed his blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit in a December rollover crash, according to KSAT News. The senior wide receiver crashed his vehicle near the university campus early on December 9, with freshman Emmanuel Odetola also present in the car, though not injured.
Details from San Antonio police indicate that Cephus, while claiming to have had a green light during the turn where he lost control, had a blood-alcohol level of.183, and after the crash, body-cam footage showed Cephus with blood on his hands and his shirt, refusing sobriety tests and questioning why his alcohol consumption mattered. He later argued with officers upon being taken into custody, saying, "I haven’t done anything wrong. I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong," as reported by KSAT.
Following the incident, Cephus was charged with DWI and eventually struck a plea deal, serving 15 months of probation while paying fines. This deal kept him from jail time but resulted in his suspension from UTSA's football team and his missing a crucial bowl game, as per KSAT. Despite the setback, Cephus returned to the team and even set a record for career receptions and receiving yards at UTSA.
Reflecting upon the crash and his brush with the law, Cephus acknowledged the gravity of his actions and cited the case of former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs, who faced a far harsher fate for his drunk driving incident. UTSA, now looking ahead to their next game in the Frisco Bowl on December 19 against Marshall University, has announced the university considers Cephus' case closed, as noted in statements obtained by KSAT.
