ANN ARBOR (WWJ) - The University of Michigan's new defensive line coach Greg Scruggs was hired on March 8, but ten days later, he was arrested on his third drunk driving offense in Ann Arbor and by Thursday, the Wolverines once again have a vacant position to fill
A short-tenured employee indeed.
"I just received notice that Greg Scruggs has resigned his position, effective immediately," Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore said via 247Sports on Thursday. "I am unable to comment further as this is a University matter."
The fallout comes after Scruggs, 33, was pulled over early Saturday (March 16) morning in Ann Arbor on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Chris Page, strategic communications manager for the Ann Arbor Police Department, told The Detroit News that police took Scruggs into custody around 3 a.m. after officers noticed his vehicle stopped at the intersection of East William Street and South Fourth Avenue with his hazard lights on.
According to the police report, Scruggs said he had been at the Chop House until 11:30 p.m. He only had two drinks there before heading over to Pretzel Bell where he claimed he had no alcohol.
Officers noted on their report that Scruggs' breath smelled like alcohol and he had bloodshot eyes. They had Scruggs undergo field sobriety tests which roused officers' suspicions further when the 33-year-old had issues performing the one-leg-stand test, according to the police report.
Scruggs initially refused a breathalyzer, but eventually agreed. He first blew a 0.16 and then a 0.17 on a second — twice Michigan's legal limit of 0.08.
Moore, who is in his first season as head coach for Michigan, said previously that Scruggs had been suspended indefinitely until the department had time to review the incident.
"Greg made an unfortunate mistake and was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated," Moore said in a statement released Saturday afternoon. "He made no excuses and has taken accountability for his actions. The football program and athletic department have suspended Greg indefinitely while we review details of the incident."
It is Scruggs' third OWI offense with two prior drunk driving arrests reported when he played for the University of Louisville in 2011 and when he played for the Seattle Seahawks in 2013.
Scruggs' DUI in college led to his dismissal from the team before the Belk Bowl.
As reported by The Detroit News, court records showed Scruggs entered a not-guilty plea for his arrest in Washington state and pleaded down to a lesser charge of reckless driving.
In Michigan, Scruggs faces up to 93 days in jail, $100-500 fine and up to six months suspension of a driver's license if convicted.
Prior to joining the staff at U-M, Scruggs served as the defensive line coach for the New York Jets and the Wisconsin Badgers.
According to his since-deleted profile on U-M's staff directory page, Scruggs, a Cincinnati native, was selected as the 25th pick in the seventh round, 232nd overall, in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He went on to have a five-year NFL career that included two Super Bowl titles -- one with the Seahawks and the other with the New England Patriots.
