Last year’s Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and First Team All Big 12 defensive lineman is about to have surgery. TCU defensive end Devonte Fields has been held back by a nagging foot injury suffered early in the year that has not gotten any better. Now it appears as though surgery could put his season on ice.
Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports via Twitter Fields will indeed have surgery to help his foot and that Fields will hope to receive a medical redshirt to preserve a year of eligibility. Fields had been listed as a starter on TCU’s depth chart for this weekend’s game against Iowa State. Matt Anderson has ben starting in the absence of Fields at right end, and should be expected to continue to fill the void. Anderson has recorded 11 tackles, including one sack and has intercepted one pass.
This season has not gone according to plan for Fields. TCU’s top defensive player was suspended for the first two games of the season, including the season opener against LSU in Arlington, Texas for a violation of team rules. Now a foot injury suffered in his first start of the year has him likely to be out of action until 2014.