MKRob Sports

University of Miami junior receiver Thearon Collier is not expected to play this season, an athletic department source said.

Collier, who figured to battle for a starting job this season and also serve as a punt returner, has been informed that UM will release him from his scholarship if he decides to transfer. Collier also has been told that he can continue taking classes at UM if he chooses, but won’t be part of the team, which begins fall practice Thursday.

Collier is being banished for a series of team violations that began in the spring, according to the source, and not for academic reasons.

The 5-foot-9, 191-pound Collier did not participate near the end of spring practice and did not play in the spring game.

UM coach Randy Shannon met with Collier on Monday morning. Neither was available for comment.

Last season, Collier returned punts for touchdowns against Florida A&M and Virginia, becoming the first UM player to score off punt returns at least twice in one season since Devin Hester (three) and Roscoe Parrish (two) did it in 2004.

Collier, from Miami, started one game in 2009 and was fifth on the team with 18 receptions for 250 yards .

As a freshman in 2008, the speedy Collier was UM’s second-leading receiver with 26 receptions for 324 yards.

Collier is the second veteran player to see his UM career cut short in the past week.

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