UNC football's Don Chapman returns to lineup after arrest, available for Notre Dame game

Monica Holland and Sammy Batten, The Fayetteville Observer
·2 min read
1

UNC football coach Mack Brown said Monday during his weekly press conference that defensive back Don Chapman will be available to play Saturday when the Tar Heels host Notre Dame.

Chapman was arrested Sept. 8 on charges of domestic criminal trespassing, assault on a female and misdemeanor battery of an unborn child, according to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. Chapman did not travel to the Tar Heels' Week 2 game at Georgia State on Sept. 10.

Details that came out of Chapman's court date have led Brown to keep the senior from San Diego, California, on UNC's roster and available for the next game. The Tar Heels (3-0) face Notre Dame (1-2) on Saturday (3:30 p.m., ABC) at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill.

"Don Chapman will remain on the team," Brown said Monday. "He never left the team, but he did not travel to Georgia State. And with the information that we've gathered over two weeks, we feel like that he should stay on the team. And he will play this weekend.

“If some other information comes up, obviously, that is different than what we've learned, then we would look at it closely and see if that changes the narrative.”

During Chapman's appearance in Chatham County court on Sept. 8, a judge detailed a police report in the middle of a pretrial release assessment that said Chapman's pregnant girlfriend had threatened to commit suicide, which would also have killed her unborn child, according to reports from WRAL.

In a statement to police, Chapman said he took a gun away from his wife. He also said that she told him to leave but he refused because he was afraid she would kill herself, ABC11 reported.

Chapman's wife has been charged with simple assault.

ACC FOOTBALL POWER RANKINGS:Is NC State a shaky No. 2 or should Florida State be higher?

NEXT MAN UP:UNC football injuries open door for freshman receiver Kobe Paysour, and he's stepping up

WATCH THIS:App State football wins on Hail Mary vs. Troy with ESPN College GameDay in Boone

Chapman has appeared in 34 games and started 19 over the last four seasons.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder has been a consistent contributor at both safety and cornerback at UNC. He played in 13 games at safety as a true freshman (4 starts), started all 11 games as a sophomore and made four starts in eight games last season before an injury sidelined him for the final five games.

Chapman, who has 109 career tackles and three interceptions, made three tackles in the first two outings this year in a reserve role.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC football's Don Chapman returns to lineup after arrest