Three N. Colorado coaches suspended for unauthorized practice

GREELEY, Colo. -- Three Northern Colorado assistant football coaches have been suspended for their involvement in at least one unauthorized practice session in March.

Athletic department officials reported the session as a secondary violation to the NCAA on Wednesday and are awaiting a response while they enact self-imposed penalties.

Offensive line coach Brian Natkin will not coach Saturday against Eastern Washington. Offensive coordinator Chad Brown will miss the Oct. 28 game at Sacramento State, and running backs coach Keith Grable will miss the Nov. 5 game at Montana State.

Brown also will be barred from school facilities for a week.

First-year head coach Scott Downing said all three could be sanctioned further by the university, but he said he wanted to respect their privacy and not comment further.

Downing has said he did not know about the practice.

Defensive line coach Craig Robinson resigned last week amid revelations of the practice session.

Natkin and Brown are in their first seasons on the Bears staff, while Grable is in his sixth season as a UNC assistant coach.