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Memphis announces suspensions from Miami Beach Bowl brawl

Players scuffle after Memphis defeated Brigham Young, 55-48 in double overtime during the inaugural Miami Beach Bowl football game, Monday, Dec. 22, 2014 in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Players scuffle after Memphis defeated Brigham Young, 55-48 in double overtime during the inaugural Miami Beach Bowl football game, Monday, Dec. 22, 2014 in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Remember that huge brawl that immediately followed the end of Memphis’ 55-48 win over BYU in the Miami Beach Bowl?

More than nine months later, Memphis coach Justin Fuente finally publicly announced the players he suspended for their involvement in the fight.

According to the Associated Press, linebacker Leonard Pegues and defensive end Isadore Outing are both suspended for the season-opener against Missouri State on Saturday.

Additionally, offensive linemen Nick Thomas, Michael Stannard and Trevon Tate, along with cornerback Chauncey Lanier, are suspended for the first half of the Missouri State game. Pegues is also suspended for the first half of the Tigers Week 2 matchup at Kansas.

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The suspensions were decided in conjunction with the American Athletic Conference.

“Obviously this was not an incident that I’m proud of, or that we are proud of,” Fuente said Monday, per the Commercial Appeal. “I think our kids have done a great job, in the wake of this, owning it, standing up to it, understanding that it’s not what we want to represent. And some of the things that we’ve asked them to do, they’ve gone above and beyond the requirements that we put in front of them.”

Fuente said his players performed “326 hours” of community service, far exceeding the 220 hours the school required.

Five other players – Martin Ifedi, Derek Howard , Tank Jakes, Chase Johnson and Tony Mays – would have been subject to punishment but are no longer with the team. Ifedi, Howard and Jakes were seniors while Johnson and Mays left the program.

For BYU, head coach Bronco Mendenhall has not divulged how many players are suspended for their involvement in the fight. Mendenhall said the suspensions will be announced after Saturday’s opener at Nebraska.

“It was so long ago, I don’t know what more you can do to punish the kids besides the scrutiny that comes with it,” Mendenhall said Monday. “I don’t know what else needs to happen for these kids to have learned their lesson than what has happened. We won’t be announcing the suspensions before the Nebraska game. We’ll announce them after.”

For more Memphis news, TigerSportsReport.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!