Vontaze Burfict involved in locker room scuffle
Aug 7, 2011, 11:19 PM | Updated: Aug 8, 2011, 2:29 am
Star Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict was involved in a locker room fight on Wednesday, ASU confirmed.
According to Associate Athletic Director Mark Brand, there was a scuffle on the field that carried over into the locker room.
“It was quickly resolved,” Brand said, adding that neither Burfict nor wide receiver Kevin Ozier, the other player involved, was injured.
The allegation that Burfict sucker-punched Ozier is false, Brand said.
The story was first reported by sportsbybrooks.com and later confirmed by Sports 620 KTAR.
Head coach Dennis Erickson was aware of the assault, but Burfict was not withheld from the Sun Devils media day as punishment. He is a shy player who often declines to speak to the media.
While Burfict has been associated with a hot temper, this flare-up was most likely an overabundance of intensity that can occasionally be misplaced when prepping for a high-pressure season.
Hopefully the Sun Devils bottle up that intensity and carry it into the season, as the new Pac-12 is going to be a tough fight.
