NATCHITOCHES, La. (AP) — The head football coach of a Louisiana university was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated.
Brad Laird, the football coach at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, has been suspended without pay for one week, Northwestern Director of Athletics Greg Burke said in a statement Monday, news outlets reported.
Laird was arrested Saturday night, according to his own statement.
“I made a poor decision to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after drinking alcohol,” Laird said. “This was a lapse in judgment, and I take 100 percent responsibility for my actions.”
Laird was also given a letter of reprimand stating the consequences he could face if any future misconduct took place, Burke said.
Laird was a quarterback who played his college career at Northwestern State, The News Star reported. He returned to the university in 2018 to take on the head coaching role. The football team went 3-9 in its 2019 season.