CFB Notebook: South Carolina suspends DB Charleston

South Carolina defensive back Javon Charleston was suspended from the team in the wake of his arrest on multiple charges. Charleston was arrested June 17 on charges of assault and burglary, The State newspaper reported Friday, citing Lexington County (S.C.) police records. The university confirmed Charleston's suspension to the newspaper via an athletic department spokesman. Charleston was a walk-on at the school who received a scholarship in August 2017. He appeared in 13 games last season primarily on special teams, although he also saw playing time at defensive back and wide receiver. The newspaper reported that Charleston could face up to a $2,500 fine or up to three years in prison for the assault and battery charge. The first-degree burglary charge could result in a life sentence in prison. --Arkansas coach Chad Morris finally signed a contract this week despite being hired last December. Morris' deal pays him about $3.5 million per year through 2023, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. His contract also reportedly includes bonuses. Morris can earn up to $1 million in competition-based bonuses and $200,000 in academic-based bonuses each year. He is also eligible for three retention payments of $500,000 each if no serious NCAA violations occur and the school does not land on NCAA probation at the time the payments are due in February of 2019, 2021 and 2023. There are also contingencies if Morris gets fired or resigns from the school before his contract runs out. Morris will receive 70 percent of his yearly salary if he gets fired before the final day of 2022. But he gets the full amount if he is let go on or after Jan. 1, 2023. If Morris leaves the school for another coaching job before Dec. 31, 2019, he would owe Arkansas $3 million, and decreasing amounts each year after that. --Former Arkansas wide receiver Maleek Barkley announced that he is transferring to Montana State. Barkley is the fifth Razorback to transfer from the school this offseason. Barkley, a former running back, made the change to wide receiver as a freshman last year and redshirted. He still has four years of eligibility remaining. Since Montana State is an FCS-level school, Barkley does not have to sit out a year. --It's a steep rise in the level of play from Massachusetts to Auburn, but graduate transfer Jack Driscoll appears to be making a seamless transition. Although Driscoll has only been able to participate in summer workouts since transferring to Auburn in May, the 6-foot-5, 300-pounder has already opened eyes with his new teammates. "I am extremely happy that he came to Auburn because, like I said, he's a great person, but he's a freak of an athlete when it comes to a guy that's 6-5, 300 pounds," Tigers quarterback Jarrett Stidham told Al.com this week at Eli Manning's passing academy. "He's just a freak athlete and I think he can really help us this year." Driscoll is expecting to vie for the starting right tackle job with redshirt freshmen Calvin Ashley and Austin Troxell during Auburn's fall camp. He made 12 starts at right tackle for the Minutemen in 2017.