UPDATED 1:32 p.m. ET: Tanner Brock was arrested on three felony charges relating to the drug sting. Click HERE for the details contained in Brock’s arrest warrant.
Perhaps the most disturbing/damning detail contained in the warrant? Brock told an informant that it was likely only about 20 players on TCU’s roster would pass a drug test.
So, yes, there’s likely still a lot of road left to travel on this story, with the speculation being that further arrests/dismissals/suspensions could be in the offing.
UPDATED 12:22 p.m. ET: The names of the four TCU football players arrested in a drug sweep Wednesday have been released by police officials.
Linebacker Tanner Brock, offensive lineman Ty Horn, defensive back Devin Johnson and defensive lineman D.J. Yendrey were all named as individuals who will now be facing charges stemming from the six-month investigation. The names of all four players have been removed from the roster on the team’s official website.
Brock is by far the most well-known name, having led the Horned Frogs in tackles during the 2010 season. He suffered an ankle injury in the 2011 opener and missed the remainder of the year.
Yendrey started the first 10 games last season, while Johnson started the final eight.
All three were expected to be starters in 2012. While it’s not yet official, it’s believed all three, plus Horn, have been dismissed from the football program.
Head coach Gary Patterson did release a statement, though. Here it is, in its entirety:“There are days people want to be a head football coach, but today is not one of those days. As I heard the news this morning, I was first shocked, then hurt and now I’m mad.
“Under my watch, drugs and drug use by TCU’s student-athletes will not be tolerated by me or any member of my coaching staff. Period. Our program is respected nationally for its strong ethics and for that reason the players arrested today were separated from TCU by the University. I believe strongly that young people’s lives are more important than wins or losses.
“This situation isn’t unique to TCU—it is a global issue that we all have to address. This isn’t just about bad decisions made by a small percentage of my team. It is about a bigger issue across this country and world.
“As a coach, I do the best I can to educate members of my team. We have programs in place that teach student-athletes about what they should and shouldn’t do and how to be successful in life. I talk to them about how to be students and upstanding men that uphold the TCU name and its traditions.
“At the end of the day, though, sometimes young people make poor choices. The Horned Frogs are bigger and stronger than those involved.”
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With its spring practice set to start in exactly 10 days, TCU has a very serious and potentially crippling situation on its hands.
Wednesday morning, TCU chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr. confirmed that “many current students” were arrested earlier in the day in what was described as a major on-campus drug sweep. At a press conference which concluded just a short time ago, it was announced that 17 students were arrested, including four unnamed football players. The charges will stem from the individuals allegedly selling cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana and prescription medication.
The sweep was part of what’s been a six-month investigation by the Fort Worth Police Department and TCU Campus Police.
“TCU has never before experienced a magnitude of student arrests such as this,” Boschini said in a statement posted on the school’s website prior to the press conference. “In fact, Campus Police records show only five student arrests related to drug law violations in recent years.”
The identities of the players will be released later in the day, although if one rumored name proves true, it would be a significant blow to the Horned Frogs as they prepare for their first season in the Big 12. The investigation is still ongoing, and police officials stated they are still trying to determine whether the four players were selling drugs to their teammates.
“We were not targeting students, fraternities or football players. We were targeting drug dealers,” Capt. Ken Dean said at the press conference.
Head coach Gary Patterson has yet to comment on the developing situation.