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TCU coach Gary Patterson may or may not face running back Jeremy Hill when his Horned Frogs clash with LSU on Aug. 31. Regardless, he’s clearly not in favor of Hill being allowed the chance to play.
According to the Star-Telegram in Fort Worth, Patterson was somewhat dismissive of LSU coach Les Miles’ decision to reinstate Hill.
According to the Times-Picayune, Miles said that Hill's teammates voted that he should be allowed back on the team. However, Miles declined to say whether Hill will miss any games as part of a university-imposed sanction. The report said that a district court judge ordered a second two-year probation and 40 hours of community service for Hill after he pleaded guilty to punching a victim from behind outside of a bar.
Patterson, meanwhile, is dealing with a two-game suspension of Devonte Fields for an unspecified team rules violation.
Would he consider a similar approach?
“My whole team would vote Devonte to be back on the team because they all want to win,” Patterson told the paper. “That doesn’t teach life lessons.”
In fact, he opts to see the vote on Hill’s case as a sign of respect toward his own program.
“I’m sure if it was some opponent they’d beat by 100 points [the players] wouldn’t have a vote,” he told the paper. “It’s not my worry. I’ve got to play whoever they put on the field.”
So, would he consider starting Fields if he was appealing his suspension with the school and won?
“I don’t know,” Patterson told the Star-Telegram. “I don’t think so. He’s doing everything he has to. He’s been embarrassed quite a bit for three months. That’s one of the reasons I did it, so I could change him. It’s really not my call.”
