TCU head football coach Gary Patterson addressed the arrests of two of his football players Tuesday, but indicated he would hold off on his own adjudication pending the legal case.
In the meantime, Mike Tuana, a defensive end, and Andre Petties-Wilson, a wide receiver, will likely remain suspended from the football program.
According to The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Patterson addressed the arrests of his players on Tuesday, speaking with reporters on his weekly press conference. He said the "facts will come out," but would not disclose any details pertaining to the matter.
"I'm just going to tell you something right now when it comes to Mike Tuaua," Patterson said. "I named him captain, but outside - non-football - outside, in our community, with kids, he's the most-liked kid we have on our team besides Trevone Boykin.
"I'm just telling you, as far as just a person, I'm not going to let you say this kid's a bad person."
Tuana, 22, and Petties-Wilson, 19, stand accused of beating up other TCU students before stealing a case of beer at a party on Friday, Sept. 4. The TCU football team played their season opener on the road against Minnesota the night before.
NBC Dallas, Fort Worth obtained copies of the arrest warrants for a charge of robbery with bodily injury, but the redacted names make it unclear as to how many were involved. However, one person went to the hospital with minor injuries and two were treated at the scene, The Telegram reported.
The newspaper learned that Tuana told investigators one of his friends was "surrounded by three males" and he physically intervened to defend him. Both Tuana and Petties-Wilson were arrested Monday afternoon and released on bond that night.
"My job is to protect the university. My job is to protect the football team. My job is to also be a father to my players," Patterson told reporters. "And if they screw up, they screw up. And in my time at TCU, 18 years, we've had a few of those. But not as many as others. But we've always handled it the same way."
