Dooley: Being a Vol "a privilege, not a right" - WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WRCB) -- The following release was received by the Eyewitness Newsroom from Tennessee Head Coach Derek Dooley regarding the arrest of several Vols football players following an alleged bar brawl:

"It is a privilege, not a right, to be a member of the University of Tennessee football team. The most important responsibility of that privilege is to properly represent this institution and our supporters on and off the field.

I am disappointed and in many ways embarrassed by the poor judgment displayed on many fronts by several members of our football team last night.

Although we are still gathering all the facts and some legal proceedings will follow, we have taken some initial levels of discipline resulting from my conversations with the student-athletes who were present. 

Darren Myles has been permanently dismissed from our football program. Marlon Walls and Greg King have been indefinitely suspended.

I am respectful of the process that follows with the local authorities and with our institutional guidelines and leadership.

As I have referenced on many occasions, a change in culture is achieved in time through a combination of education, discipline and support. We will aggressively continue to build on the many positive changes that have occurred over the last five months to ensure our program is represented with class and dignity."