Four University of Massachusetts football players - James Carven, Bob McLaughlin, Mike Mele and Shane Viveiros - were suspended by the school's athletic department Friday following their arrests late Thursday night in Amherst.

A statement issued by UMass reported that the suspensions were for violating team and athletic department rules.

All four players were arrested Thursday night and pleaded innocent on Friday to a charge of possessing a Class B substance (cocaine). Mele and Viveiros also pleaded innocent to a charge of using fake identification.

All four were released on their own recognizance and are scheduled for a pretrial hearing Nov. 16.

Assistant District Attorney Michael Cahillane said that shortly before midnight Thursday the four men were seen acting suspiciously behind a restaurant on East Pleasant Street in Amherst.

Cahillane said the police officer who went to investigate found that Mele and Viveiros allegedly had false identification and all four were allegedly in possession of cocaine.

The length of the players' suspensions has not been determined. "There is no defined length. It is a legal matter. We're waiting to see the legal ramifications," said athletic department spokesman Jason Yellin.

UMass coach Kevin Morris and athletic director John McCutcheon declined comment.

The Minutemen do not play this weekend. Their next game is at 6 p.m. Oct. 10 at Delaware.

Viveiros, a sophomore from Fall River, started three of the first four games at strong safety and made 19 tackles.

He will likely be replaced in the starting lineup by redshirt freshman Kumar Davis.

McLaughlin, a junior from Brewster, is a second-string defensive end who has made three tackles this season.

His father Joe, who played at UMass and then for the Green Bay Packers and N.Y. Giants, will be inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame on Friday.

Mele, of Sea Girt, N.J., a junior transfer from Syracuse, was expected to be a contributor this season at linebacker, but has not appeared in a game because of an upper-body injury.

Carven, a sophomore from Hanover, made two tackles in four games. He is listed as a defensive back, but most of his playing time has come on special teams.

Gazette staff writer Owen Boss contributed to this story.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Follow UMass coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/GazetteUMass. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at http://www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage.