Utah defensive tackle Jamal Wallace has been suspended indefinitely from the football program after his arrest last week in a case involving allegations that he shared “sexually explicit” videos without consent.
A Utah athletics spokesperson confirmed the move on Wednesday and said the program acted on Oct. 11, the same day it became aware of the situation. Wallace has not been formally charged as of Wednesday evening.
“We were made aware of the situation with Jamal Wallace on Oct. 11, and he was immediately placed on an indefinite suspension from the program,” the Utah athletics spokesperson said. “We take these matters seriously. As this is a pending legal matter, we have no further comment at this time.”
Wallace was released from jail after posting $5,000 bail, and he did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Police arrested Wallace on allegations tied to distributing intimate images, which are misdemeanor counts, rather than on suspicion of a sexual assault charge. In an arrest document, Wallace denied sexually assaulting the woman during a police interview. He also allegedly told an officer that he had accessed her Snapchat account to see whom she had been talking to.
The woman told Salt Lake City police that Wallace was her “off-and-on dating partner,” according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune. She said she met him on Oct. 9 to talk about their relationship, but alleged that Wallace instead forced her into various sex acts. She also said he grabbed her cellphone at one point and said he wanted to change the music that was playing.
After he left, the woman told police she discovered that Wallace had allegedly recorded a video of himself having sex with her on her phone and sent it to five people she had been talking to on Snapchat.
According to the affidavit, after seeing the videos, the woman told police she felt “confused and disgusting,” and she underwent a sexual assault examination.
An officer wrote that Wallace became upset after looking through the woman’s Snapchat messages and seeing that she had been communicating with other men. The officer also wrote that Wallace had recorded “two sexually explicit videos involving himself and the victim.”
Wallace transferred to Utah from Tennessee this offseason. He played in one game this season before the suspension.
In Other News...
Titans Rework Alontae Taylor After Benching Him For A Bigger Need
Alontae Taylors path back into the Titans defensive mix has taken on a different shape this week, with Robert Saleh testing him in slot corner rotations during practice after he was a healthy scratch in a recent game. The move reflects a practical adjustment as Tennessee keeps sorting through the best way to use Taylors skill set, and it comes after the defense held up well without him in the lineup.
Saleh has been encouraged by Taylors effort in working toward the nickel role and by the way he responded to the benching. The coaching staff is now looking at whether that versatility can help stabilize the secondary, a consideration that makes Taylors next opportunity feel a little more open-ended than it did just a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Quietly Signal Concern About Their Offense Before Browns Game
The Titans made a quiet but notable move ahead of their Week 7 matchup with the Browns, elevating running back Kelel Mullings and wide receiver K.J. Osborn from the practice squad. Those additions give Tennessee some added insurance on offense, where a few key players are already on the injury report and the team is clearly bracing for more than a routine Sunday at Nissan Stadium.
Tyjae Spears is among the offensive names listed as questionable, along with Calvin Ridley, which helps explain why Tennessee moved early to bolster the depth chart. With Cleveland coming to town and CBS carrying the game, the Titans will at least have extra options available if those status questions carry over into kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Win Changed Nothing About One Tough Deadline Decision
The Titans finally got into the win column, but one victory has not changed the bigger picture as the trade deadline draws near. At 1-5, Tennessee is still looking at a steep climb to stay relevant in the playoff race, and the franchise has to weigh whether this season is about squeezing out a few more wins or continuing to stockpile assets for the future.
That puts some of the rosters most recognizable names in a difficult spotlight. Jeffery Simmons, Amani Hooker, Tony Pollard and Alonte Taylor all profile as players who could draw interest if the Titans decide draft capital matters more than holding the current group together, and their value only becomes more complicated because of where they stand contractually. For a team in the middle of a rebuild, the next move may say a lot more about the long term than the result of last Sunday did. [Read more 🡒]