Exactly one week ago a freshman phenom named Dorial Green-Beckham scored his first touchdown for the University of Missouri. No other athlete in the university’s storied football history has caused such a stir, especially after the 6-foot-6, 220-pound man-child was named as America’s top high school player last year and could probably play in the NFL right now.

But just five days after Green-Beckham helped his Tigers upset Central Florida in a 21-16 thriller, the fledgling all-star was caught with four other freshmen athletes outside Faurot Field in a 2004 Lincoln Navigator and the stench of marijuana was thick. University police found also found a small amount of marijuana in the early-morning, school-night stop.

Green-Beckham and two of his teammates were arrested for marijuana possession and all five players have been suspended for tonight’s game against visiting Vanderbilt. While you ask yourself how such a high-profile athlete can be that stupid, this is just another reminder that the fiercest tackler in college football right now is the insidious weed.

The stuff got LSU’s Heisman finalist, Tyrann Mathieu, booted off his team before the season and Da’Rick Rogers, who last year earned All-SEC honors at Tennessee, had so many run-ins with “ginja” he’s now piecing his life back together at Tennessee Tech. Auburn’s “Player of the Year” Michael Dyer was finally booted after two sensational 1,000-yard plus seasons. Every school has to deal with marijuana among athletes and it is a real problem.

In the newest issue of ESPN: The Magazine, a random poll among pro sports revealed that 71.4 percent of NFL players feel marijuana should be legalized, compared to 68.7 percent in the NBA and 68.2 in the NHL. Only Major League Baseball players are opposed, with 65 percent against, and one shortstop is quoted, “I don’t think you should look at society and say, ‘You know, we should to make it easier to get drugs.’”

Make no mistake, drugs are out there and if you have ever been to tiny Columbia, Mo., don’t think the flashy Beckham-Green had any trouble finding pot. As a matter of fact, the “Mr. SEC” website reveals some SEC schools have actually created two drug policies because of the growing popularity for marijuana by athletes.

John Pemberton, who does a great job as “Mr. SEC,” published a chart of how SEC schools handle drug abuses and – believe this – the days of one-and-done are long gone. Today some schools have extended the three-strike rule to four violations and here’s a look at what each school now has in place:

ALABAMA: Strike one – no suspension; strike two – 15 percent of the season; strike three – one year suspension; strike four – dismissal.

ARKANSAS: Strike one – no suspension; strike two – 10 percent of the season; strike three – 50 percent of the season; strike four – dismissal.

AUBURN: Strike one – no suspension; strike two – 50 percent of the season; strike three – dismissal.

FLORIDA: Strike one – no suspension; strike two, 10 percent of the season; strike three – 20 percent of the season; strike four – dismissal.

GEORGIA: Strike one – 10 percent of the season; strike two – 50 percent of the season; strike three – dismissal.

KENTUCKY: Strike one – 10 percent of the season; strike two – 50 percent of the season; strike three – dismissal.

LSU: Strike one – no suspension; strike two – “up to” 15 percent of the season; strike three – One year dismissal.

MISS. STATE: Strike one – No suspension; strike two – 50 percent of the season; strike three --  one year suspension; strike four – dismissal.

MISSOURI: Strike one – no suspension; strike two – seven-day suspension; strike three dismissal. (NOTE: Dorial Green-Beckham was arrested as well as caught with marijuana.)

OLE MISS: Strike one – no suspension; strike two – “Up to” 25 percent of season; strike three – dismissal.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Strike one – no suspension; strike two – 25 percent of the season; strike three – dismissal.

TENNESSEE: Strike one – no suspension; strike two – 10 percent of the season; strike three – dismissal.

TEXAS A&M: Strike one – no suspension; strike two – “possible suspension,” strike three – “possible dismissal.”

VANDERBILT – As a private university, Vanderbilt does not reveal such information.

Missouri quickly issued a terse comment via email after Green-Beckham and the others were arrested. “We’re aware of the incident and have addressed it," MU athletics spokesman Chad Moller said. "All individuals involved have been immediately suspended from the program for one game. All other disciplinary measures will be handled internally, and there will be no further comment."

Due to privacy rules, that is acceptable but what’s not is the fact that Dorial Green-Beckham knew all about what became of “Honey Badger and Da’Rick and still dared to smoke pot. How can any athlete in this day and age be that dumb?

royexum@aol.com