FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Two high-profile Arkansas players who had run-ins with the law will not be suspended, Razorbacks coach Houston Nutt said Wednesday.

Defensive back Ken Hamlin pleaded guilty last month to second-offense driving while intoxicated and was sentenced to 10 days in jail. Running back Cedric Cobbs was found guilty on July 11 of marijuana possession, driving while intoxicated and speeding, charges that stemmed from a Jan. 8 arrest.

Nutt said he was ready to put their legal problems in the past.

"Starting today, I want to put this so far behind us,'' Nutt said. "Cedric Cobbs and Kenny Hamlin are part of this football team and I want to go forward.''

On Wednesday, Cobbs' attorney Darrell Brown dropped an appeal of those convictions in Pulaski County Circuit Court.

"Cedric's decision is to abandon and withdraw his appeal and get on with his life,'' Brown said.

Cobbs and his family had planned to appeal because they didn't feel there was evidence to warrant a DWI conviction. Cobbs' DWI conviction was for being under the influence of drugs not alcohol.

On Aug. 6, Cobbs was sentenced to 20 hours of community service, six months of probation and was fined $700.

Speaking at Arkansas' media day, Nutt said he was deeply frustrated by Hamlin's second drunken-driving arrest.

"This has been the most difficult decision of my career. When it happened I wanted to kick him off the team,'' Nutt said. "I know there will be questions but I've got to go with my heart, and I've got to go with my gut feeling.''

The coach said that he was leaning toward suspending Hamlin in varying increments of a game, six quarters, up to three games. But Nutt met with team seniors Tuesday night until about 12:30 a.m., and said Hamlin's teammates said the safety had been punished enough.

Nutt said that's when he knew not suspending Hamlin was the right move and that being in jail helped changed him.

"Kenny Hamlin knows that he's on very thin ice,'' Nutt said. "He knows that he can't drive. He knows that he has curfew. He knows that he's in the batter's box, he's got two strikes on him and the ball's coming fast.''

As for Cobbs, Nutt reiterated that the running back had consistently met 15 conditions Nutt set after Cobbs got into trouble. He said this spring that Cobbs had his best grade point average since coming to Arkansas in 1999.

"I'm looking for one thing with Cedric, to put this thing behind him and be the person he can be,'' Nutt said.

Hamlin issued a statement expressing contrition. Nutt said he would keep Cobbs and Hamlin away from reporters for the time being.

Nutt suspended Hamlin for after the May 30 traffic stop in Fayetteville. The coach said he'd further disciplined Hamlin since the incident.

An All-SEC first-team pick as a sophomore, Hamlin has started all 24 games of his career and is well on pace to break the school's all-time tackles record.

Cobbs set the Arkansas mark for most rushing yards by a freshman with 668 yards in 1999. He was also the MVP of the 2000 Cotton Bowl after leading the Razorbacks to a victory over Texas. Cobbs missed most of the 2000 season with a shoulder separation and returned last season to rush for 340 yards.

The Razorbacks open their season on Sept. 7 against Boise State at Fayetteville.