FLORENCE — A football player who walked on to the University of North Alabama team four games into the season, has been told he cannot return to the team after he posted racial remarks about President Obama on a social networking site, officials said.

UNA Sports Information Director Jeff Hodges said Bradley Patterson, of Red Bay, was contacted Sunday night by UNA coaches after school officials became aware of the remarks.

UNA officials said Patterson tweeted racial remarks about Obama while the president was addressing the nation in regard to the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

Hodges said Patterson was not on scholarship and according to the UNA roster, he was never listed as an active member of the team. School officials classified Patterson as an “uninvited walk-on,” meaning he was not encouraged by coaches to walk on to the team.

Reports indicate Patterson was considered a third-string long snapper, but never played.

UNA officials said Patterson was in direct violation of the school’s social media policy, which is in the student athlete handbook.

According to policy, “the freedom to post on-line creates the responsibility to consider the interests of those you represent! As a student-athlete, your on-line actions, words and images will be judged with the same scrutiny as if they are being presented in person to your peers, coaches and the University.”