Former TCU safety Jacob Fields charged with aggravated assault after locker room incident
Former TCU safety Jacob Fields turned himself in to authorities on an aggravated assault charge stemming from an alleged locker room fight with a teammate. He was released on a $50,000 bond, and the case adds to a turbulent start to the Horned Frogs' season.
Former TCU safety Jacob Fields turned himself in to the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office on Sunday and was charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, according to court records. The charge stems from an alleged fight inside the Horned Frogs' locker room, an incident that led to Fields' dismissal from the program for violating team rules. His bond was set at $50,000, and he was released later that afternoon.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram first reported the locker room altercation, which allegedly involved Fields striking TCU wide receiver Dozie Ezukanma. Fields had transferred to TCU from Louisiana Tech, where he was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year last season. His attorney, Cory Dubose, released a statement on social media Sunday criticizing the bond hearing process, saying he was denied access to defend his client at the initial court appearance.
«Jacob's bond has been set at $50,000. This bond was set at a hearing where I was denied access to defend him. Worse, a jailer informed us that the bond 'would probably be set at $50,000' prior to him having a hearing,» Dubose wrote.
The legal fallout is the latest complication for a TCU program already navigating a difficult start to the season. In a separate development, the university revoked the media credentials of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram the week after the incident, a move that drew criticism from members of the press on social media. The school has not changed its stance on credentialing the outlet.
Before TCU traveled to Ireland for its season opener against North Carolina, head coach Sonny Dykes addressed the locker room situation publicly for the first time. «It was something that was certainly out of character for the team and the young man that was involved,» Dykes said. «Look, you got 110 football players. I mean, things happen sometimes. You've got to find ways to move through them, and, man, these young kids are resilient.»
Dykes framed the incident as a teaching moment for his roster. «It's like anything else, when something bad happens, it becomes a teaching moment. And so we were able to teach our players, and I think the guys are better off from having gone through it,» he added.
The Horned Frogs then suffered a lackluster loss to North Carolina in Dublin, a result that has intensified scrutiny on Dykes. Coming into the contest, much of the conversation centered on Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick and whether he could turn the program around. Now the focus has shifted to Dykes, who is without quarterback Josh Hoover after the signal-caller transferred to Indiana.
Just over three years ago, TCU was playing for a national championship against Georgia. Now the program is trying to survive in the Big 12, and Dykes has also taken aim at officiating following the loss to North Carolina. «Not having ACC officials, for one,» Dykes said when asked about fixing the team's penalty issues. «And then I think we have to do a better job of being more disciplined. We've got to be more disciplined, we've got to be more — just gotta do a better job.»
The combination of off-field issues, an awkward media policy from the athletic department, and a rough Week 1 performance has raised questions about Dykes' job security. As for Fields, the legal process will continue to unfold as the college football season moves forward.
