Over the weekend, Illinois linebacker Evan Frierson was arrested and suspended indefinitely by head coach Ron Zook.
Two days later, the sophomore has been permanently suspended from the football program.
According to a press release issued by the school, Zook announced that Frierson has been dismissed from the football program after he violated unspecified team rules.
“As I have always done, I review each situation on an individual basis and make sure I have all the information,” Zook said in a statement. “After a full review, I think it’s in Evan’s best interest to concentrate on his academics and his legal issues, and he no longer remains a part of our football program.”
Frierson was arrested at 12:06 a.m. local time Sunday and charged with felony aggravated battery. It’s alleged Frierson punched a 19-year-old male while in a (safety first!) crosswalk, which sent the unidentified man to a local hospital for treatment. The LB’s pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Frierson played in nine games this season and in all 12 games in 2009. He had a total of six tackles in 2010 and 19 tackles in 2009.