DURHAM - Duke reinstated linebacker Michael Tauiliili to its football program Thursday, 11 days after he was suspended following an arrest on charges of driving while impaired and simple assault.

Duke's leading tackler during his first two seasons, the junior will be held out of the Blue Devils' Sept. 1 season opener against Connecticut and faces several undisclosed internal sanctions, coach Ted Roof said.

Tauiliili was back at practice on Thursday but was unavailable for comment. He could face further restrictions and punishments from the university pending the judicial outcome of the criminal charges, Roof said. Tauiliili is due in court on Oct. 4.

"The game suspension is for what we've been able to establish, and we have established he has embarrassed the university, our program and himself," Roof said after practice Thursday.

According to Durham Police citations, Tauiliili, 20, failed to stop at the scene of an accident that resulted in property damage to a vehicle owned by Jesus Alejo of Creedmoor. Tauiliili was arrested about 4 a.m. Aug. 4 and, according to police citations, had a .12 blood alcohol level, above North Carolina's legal limit of .08. (The legal age to consume alcohol is 21.)

Tauiliili -- listed under his birth name, Michael Shawn Brown, on the warrant -- also is accused of carrying a concealed knife and pointing an air pistol at Alejo.

Roof was asked whether the university's experience with the 2006 criminal investigation of the Duke men's lacrosse team, which resulted in rape charges that were dismissed earlier this year by the state attorney general, played a role in the program's decision to reserve further disciplinary measures until after Tauiliili's case had run its course.

Roof said, "I don't want to look back.

"I just want to say we have a judicial process in this country for a reason. ... At the same time, we want to send a message to our team, a very serious message to our team, which this situation deserves, that this is not acceptable behavior."

Duke athletics director Joe Alleva was out of town and unavailable for comment.

A freshman All-America who earned ACC Defensive Freshman of the Year honors from The Sporting News, Tauiliili has 186 tackles in his two seasons. Last year, he ranked eighth in the ACC with 7.8 tackles a game.

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