WATSON OFF USC FOOTBALL TEAM AFTER ARREST ON DRUG CHARGE

COLUMBIA - Junior tailback Derek Watson has been kicked off the University
of South Carolina football team after being charged with possession of
marijuana, USC athletic director Mike McGee said Monday.

Also, the Richland County solicitor's office has terminated him from the
pre-trial intervention program for an assault and battery charge last year,
and he will now have to stand trial on that charge.

"He has been dismissed from the team," McGee said. "Obviously, he has legal
rights to him through the courts."

McGee said had received information from the Greenville Police Department
concerning Watson's arrest shortly after returning late Monday afternoon
from NCAA meetings.

McGee then talked with coach Lou Holtz, who earlier this afternoon had
issued a statement saying Watson had been "immediately indefinitely
suspended ... pending the outcome of this situation."

Asked if the decision to kick Watson off the team was his, McGee replied:

"Well, coach Holtz did not have the information from the Greenville Police
Department. He had received a verbal report and from that took action.
Literally, we just got this information, which we had been waiting for."

McGee said the information USC received from the Greenville police included
a media release identifying Watson and the other man charged with
possession of marijuana.

Watson, a junior from Williamston, could not be reached for comment Monday.
George Johnson, a Columbia attorney who has previously represented Watson,
said he has not been contacted by Watson to represent him in this case.

Watson, 20, was arrested in Greenville early Saturday by narcotics agents
in a parking lot outside Salsatheque Night Club, Greenville police Lt. Mike
Gambrell said.

Watson was a passenger in the front seat of a car, Gambrell said.
Detectives conducting surveillance at the nightclub on South Pleasantburg
Drive saw one of three passengers in the car filling a hollowed out cigar
with a substance from a clear plastic bag, Gambrell said.

The substance later tested as marijuana, he said. The bag contained about
.85 grams of marijuana, Gambrell said, adding that another plastic bag with
2.4 grams was found on another person in the car.

As officers approached, the passenger attempted to conceal the material by
his side and eventually dropped it to the floorboard, Gambrell said.

Also charged with simple possession of marijuana was Antwan Andre Galloway,
22, of Route 2, Scott Circle in Pendleton.

Both men were issued citations and released at the scene.

The passenger in the back seat was not charged, Gambrell said.

A court date of 3 p.m. Jan 30 has been set in Municipal Court in Greenville.

The charge is a misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $497.

Last year Watson was charged with simple assault and battery involving a
female student. The misdemeanor charge was dropped, and Watson was admitted
into the Pretrial Intervention Program.

But Fifth Circuit Solicitor Barney Giese said late Monday he has terminated
Watson's participation in the pretrial intervention program.

"The simple assault and battery charge for which Watson was sent to the
Pre-Trial program will be returned to the appropriate court for
disposition," the release from Giese's office said.

Watson was also suspended from the 2001 Outback Bowl after he wrecked a
teammate's car.

Watson has led USC in rushing for two of the past three seasons and
finishes his career at USC with 2,078 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also had
58 receptions in his career for 466 yards and two TDs. During the past
season, he finished second in rushing with 618 yards to 6,212 for Andrew
Pinnock.

With the decision to drop Watson from PTI, Giese said the case would be
sent back to Magistrate Michael Davis for a new court date, which has not
been set.

Simple assault carries a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail and a $200 fine.

Watson may not ultimately have to face a trial, however, if the woman,
Richelle Beard, opts not to follow through with the charges.

Beard said, "I haven't had time to think about it. I just for the first
time heard anything about it. I couldn't possibly comment or know what I am
going to do at this point."

Watson's academic status is also up in the air, although that may be a moot
point since he is expected to transfer to play football at another school
for his final season of eligibility.

McGee said it will take about two weeks for USC's Office of Student
Judicial Affairs to take up Watson's case and decide what, if any,
punishment to hand out, which could include being suspended or kicked out
of the university. It will be the third time Watson has appeared before the
group in the past year.