UC Berkeley football player hit by car while protecting friend

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - A University of California, Berkeley, football player was seriously injured when authorities say he was allegedly intentionally struck by a car driven by a group of men leering at a female friend.<br> <br> Mike Tepper, 19, was walking with the woman near campus during the weekend. The men began taunting the woman, a Cal volleyball player, and eventually cut the pair off with their car, police said.<br> <br> When the men refused to leave the woman alone, the 6-foot-6, 312-pound lineman jumped between the car and the woman. The men allegedly then ran over Tepper twice, breaking his leg.<br> <br> ``My season&#39;s toast,&#39;&#39; Tepper said Wednesday as he recuperated from surgery to repair a broken fibula and torn ankle ligaments. He had nine screws and one plate put in his leg and can&#39;t walk on it for eight weeks. <br> <br> Police have arrested Johnny Ray Smith, 33, and Calvin Joe Kelley, 29, for violating terms of their probation or parole, authorities said. Officers also arrested a third man, but prosecutors declined to file charges against him because of scant evidence.<br> <br> Police are investigating the incident as an assault with a deadly weapon.<br> <br> Cal football coach Jeff Tedford said he was ``proud of the courage Mike showed Saturday night.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.