Former Gopher Barker arrested in Houston on marijuana charge

By MICHAEL RAND Star Tribune:

 

Former Gophers wide receiver A.J. Barker, who quit the team midseason after a dispute with head coach Jerry Kill, was arrested and charged with suspicion of marijuana possession in Houston, according to the Harris County District Clerk office.

Barker was arrested at 11:05 p.m. Sunday and booked at 8:08 a.m. Monday, according to records. He posted a $500 bond and has a court date Feb. 14.

Multiple outlets reported in December that Barker was going to transfer to play for the University of Houston. It also was reported that he was offered a scholarship and would be immediately eligible next season.

But in an e-mail to the Star Tribune on Wednesday, Houston athletics spokesman David Bassity said, "A.J. Barker is not a member of our football team and was not offered a scholarship, as some outlets have reported."

Spring semester classes started Monday at the school. Barker was the Gophers' leading receiver this season when he quit the team in November, citing mistreatment by Kill in a scathing 4,000-word Tumblr post as his chief reason for leaving.