tandout Florida defensive end Carlos Dunlap has been suspended from Saturday’s SEC Championship Game after his DUI arrest early Tuesday morning, UF coach Urban Meyer announced after practice Tuesday.

There is no timetable for Dunlap’s possible return.

“Carlos obviously made a very poor decision,” Meyer said. “I have not spoken to him or his family yet. I know you’re going to ask if he’s going to play. He’s not going to play. But I want to visit with him and his family first, and go from there.”

Meyer said Dunlap’s arrest only a few days before UF’s biggest game of the season was “stunning.”

“Stunning is probably a good word,” Meyer said. “Young guys make decisions all the time. This one is a serious one. Yeah, stunning.”

Meyer would not comment on Dunlap’s playing future at UF. A junior, Dunlap is considered a likely candidate to forgo his senior season because he projects as a first-round NFL Draft pick next spring.

Dunlap, 20, was arrested at 3:25 a.m. Tuesday by Gainesville Police Officer Robert Rogers at the signal light at Southwest Second Avenue and Southwest 34th Street.

According to police, Rogers was dispatched to the area to check out reports of a reckless driver in a Chrysler. Rogers said when he found the car matching the description, it was stopped although the traffic light was green. Rogers said he watched the light cycle through several times but the car remained stopped.

When Rogers approached the car, he said he saw Dunlap alone and apparently asleep at the wheel.

“Loud repetitive commands were given to the defendant who would only open his eyes momentarily and nod back off,” Rogers wrote in the arrest report.

Rogers said he reached in through the slightly opened window to unlock the car and noticed that it was still in gear. After shifting the car into park and turning off the ignition, Rogers and other officers said they noticed Dunlap’s breath smelled of alcohol. He had trouble maintaining his balance and did poorly on field sobriety tests.

Dunlap reportedly refused to submit to a breath test and told the officers that he had been at “a gathering” and was headed home.

At his initial court appearance at the Alachua County Jail, Dunlap was released without bail because he has no prior adjudications and no failures to appear in court. His arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 23.

Meyer said Dunlap’s arrest is obviously a distraction for the No. 1 Gators, who will face No. 2 Alabama in Saturday’s SEC title game in Atlanta, with the winner advancing to the BCS Championship Game.

In Dunlap’s absence, junior Justin Trattou likely will start at defensive end. Meyer said defensive tackle Jaye Howard, a former defensive end, also will get some work at the position this week.

“Jaye Howard is a guy who is going to learn some defensive end as well because he’s a big powerful body, and they’re a powerful offensive football team,” Meyer said.

“The good thing is we have a little depth in there.”

Meyer said he was surprised Dunlap got into trouble the way he did Tuesday morning.

“He’s a 2.9 GPA guy and he’s never had an issue before,” Meyer said. “He’s a guy that comes from a good family and represents it fine. Yeah, it does (surprise me).”

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