SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Two Syracuse University football players — including the younger brother of troubled former NFL quarterback Todd Marinovich — have been charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief, police said.

Paul Chiara and Mikhail Marinovich were arrested after breaking into a sports equipment room at Manley Field House early Sunday morning, police said.

Marinovich is a 20-year-old freshman from San Clemente, Calif., who played last fall at Milford Academy, a prep school in New Berlin, N.Y., and enrolled at Syracuse in January.

Syracuse spokeswoman Sue Edson said he is the brother of Todd Marinovich, the former University of Southern California standout who has had his own legal problems.

Chiara, a 22-year-old senior from Mountain Lakes, N.J., played tailback in his previous three seasons at Syracuse, but was being moved to safety for spring practice.

"We are gathering all the information and we will handle the matter appropriately internally," head coach Greg Robinson said in a statement.

Chiara and Marinovich had been drinking alcohol at the time of the incident, the police report said.

Todd Marinovich was a first-round draft pick and played for the Oakland Raiders from 1991-93 before being released. In his latest legal troubles, the 38-year-old pleaded guilty last October in Orange County, Calif., to felony possession of a small amount of methamphetamine, misdemeanor syringe possession and resisting arrest.