Washington Huskies Defensive End Azeem Victor Suspended Following DUI Arrest

Washington Huskies defensive end Azeem Victor, who was a cornerstone of UW’s stellar 2016 defense prior to suffering a broken leg, has been suspended indefinitely from the team following his arrest last weekend for driving under the influence.

In a prepared statement, UW head coach Chris Petersen said, “We take these matters very seriously, and have suspended Azeem from our team indefinitely as we continue to gather details about this incident.”

Adam Jude of the Seattle Times reports that Victor was booked into King County Jail at 4:16 a.m. Sunday, and was released at 10:16 a.m. No court date has been reported at this time.

Victor began the 2017 season as a Sports Illustrated preseason All-American, but was suspended for the season opener at Rutgers for violating team rules. (At the time, Jude cited sources close to the university who said the suspension was the result of a failed drug test.) He quickly found himself supplanted by fellow linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven, who leads the team this year in tackles; in an effort to get Victor more meaningful playing time, the coaching staff moved him in recent weeks to defensive end. From that new position, Victor tallied a sack against K.J. Costello during the first drive of the game Friday in Washington’s loss to Stanford.

Between this being Victor’s final season of eligibility and Petersen’s reputation as a strict disciplinarian, there is a legitimate chance that Azeem has already played the final snap of his college football career. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on any further news as it develops.