Maryland suspends running back Wes Brown for full 2013 academic year

Maryland has suspended running back Wes Brown for the full 2013 academic year. (G Fiume/Getty Images) By Zac Ellis Maryland running back Wes Brown has been

Maryland has suspended running back Wes Brown for the full 2013 academic year. (G Fiume/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

Maryland running back Wes Brown has been suspended for the full 2013 academic year, a source told TerrapinStationMD.com.

Brown was arrested after an altercation with police on July 3. He was charged with second-degree assault, theft under $1,000 and illegal use of wiretapping, but those charges were dropped earlier this week. Brown remains a "person of interest" in a non-fatal Baltimore-area shooting.

The suspension was handed down by the university -- not by the football program -- and Brown has accepted it. A report from the Baltimore Sun says he agreed to the deal.

Alex Prewitt of the Washington Post reports that Brown may have the option to return to school in January if he meets certain benchmarks, though he'll miss the entire 2013 season:

https://twitter.com/alex_prewitt/status/363331549938188288

https://twitter.com/alex_prewitt/status/363332531262730243

Brown's suspension certainly takes a toll on the Terps' depth in the backfield. Sophomores Brandon Ross and Albert Reid will now compete for first-team reps, and redshirt freshman Joe Riddle will vie for carries as well. Ross was Maryland's leading rusher with 85 carries for 390 yards in 2012.