Three Tennessee football players were arrested early Sunday morning on alcohol-related charges stemming from an altercation at a local nightclub.

Starting tailback Arian Foster, reserve fullback David Holbert and reserve safety Antonio Wardlow were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and underage consumption after Knoxville police received a disturbance call from Goodfellas at 2240 Keith Ave.

Wardlow was also charged with public intoxication.

All three are 20 years old. They were booked into the Knox County Detention Center around 5 a.m. and released.

"Until I see all the parties involved, I’m not going to comment any further, except to say that I’ll deal with it swiftly and firmly and fairly," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said Sunday night. "I do expect to see those guys (Sunday night)."

Fulmer said an announcement regarding the players’ status for Saturday’s game at Arkansas would be made either Sunday night or Monday.

Officers arrived at the nightclub around 3 a.m., several hours after the Vols’ 28-24 loss to LSU, and found several individuals "trying to fight each other."

Police said they were able to break up most of the initial problems, but an officer saw Foster "shoving another individual while police were on scene in an attempt to fight with that individual."

Shortly thereafter, officers observed Wardlow and Holbert in an altercation.

"As a result of the fight and disturbance there at Goodfellas night club, all three individuals were arrested," police said.

UT’s players have a curfew during the week, but that does not include Saturday night, Fulmer said.

Foster, a sophomore, has started five games at tailback this season and rushed for 262 yards.

Holbert has played in all nine of Tennessee’s games.

Wardlow has also played in all nine games. He started last week against South Carolina in place of Demetrice Morley, who was suspended for the first half for academics.

All three played against LSU.

Foster, the Vols’ second leading rusher behind redshirt freshman LaMarcus Coker, led Tennessee with 44 yards on 10 carries.

The three arrests make seven UT players who have been arrested since May.

One of those players, former Powell High School standout Lee Smith, was dismissed from the team after a DUI arrest.

Last week, defensive back Marsalous Johnson was cleared of felony assault charges stemming from an arrest in Putnam County in late July. Johnson was suspended for UT’s first four games of the season.

Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.