One day after it was announced that he would be suspended for the entire 2014-15 season, Illinois sophomore forward Darius Paul pleaded guilty to underage drinking in Champaign (Ill.) County Circuit Court. Paul’s charge of obstructing an officer was dropped as part of a plea agreement, and his sentence is a year of court supervision and a $325 fine.
While the legal issue that served as the final straw for head coach John Groce is now resolved, according to the Chicago Tribune it also provided insight into what the “multiple transgressions” that led to the decision to suspend Paul were.
According to the Tribune the next step for the family is to discuss what Paul will do having already sat out one season following his transfer from Western Michigan. The suspension would mean that Paul would sit out a second consecutive season.