TCU’s Devonte Fields earned Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors in 2012. (Max Faulkner/ZUMAPRESS.com)

By Zac Ellis

TCU sophomore defensive end Devonte Fields has been suspended for the first two games of the 2013 season, the team announced Wednesday.

In a short release, the Horned Frogs said Fields’ suspension comes on the heels of a “violation of university and team policy.” TCU coach Gary Patterson offered no comment on the suspension.

Field will miss TCU’s season-opening matchup with LSU at Cowboys Stadium on Aug. 31 and the team’s home opener against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 7. The suspension leaves the Horned Frogs with even less experience across the defensive line, where they had already lost starter Stansly Maponga to the NFL.

Fields started all 13 games for TCU as a freshman last season and recorded 53 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, garnering Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors and landing on the All-Big 12 First Team. But Fields struggled this spring and had been one of the players singled out by Patterson for his efforts during workouts.

Los Angeles football will be short two McDonald brothers next season, with T.J. departed for the draft and Tevin for parts unknown. (AP)

The UCLA Bruins have announced the dismissal of starting safety Tevin McDonald for the Ever-Popular-And-Mysterious Violation of Team Rules. McDonald, last seen missing the Holiday Bowl for failing a drug test, is the brother of USC safety and NFL draft hopeful T.J. McDonald, and the son of former Fresno State and current Jets position coach Tim McDonald. Also officially be-goned are lesser-known wide receiver Ricky Marvray and Jerry Rice Jr., whom some of you may have heard of. Those two players intend to transfer.

Stefphon Jefferson has clearly just caught a look at the New Mexico Bowl scoreboard here. (AP)

• My god, it’s full of stats. Just for funsies, and maybe also because we’re football-free until Thursday, here is a list of NCAA bowl records broken by Nevada and Arizona in the 2012 New Mexico Bowl, via Wolf Pack sports info:

-Most plays (combined, both teams): Nevada-Arizona, 188 (Previous, 187, by Auburn-Northwestern in 2010 Outback Bowl).

-Most first downs: Nevada, 39 (Previous, 36—Oklahoma (48) vs. Virginia (14) (Gator, Dec. 29, 1991) (16 rush, 18 pass, 2 penalty); Marshall (64) vs. East Carolina (61) (2 ot) (GMAC, 2001) (9 rush, 25 pass, 2 penalty).

-Most first downs, both teams: Nevada-Arizona, 70 (Previous: 62—North Carolina St. (56) [34] vs. Kansas (26) [28] (Tangerine, 2003).

-Most first downs rushing: Nevada, 28 (Previous: 26—Oklahoma (40) vs. Auburn (22) (Sugar, Jan. 1, 1972); Navy (51) vs. Colorado St. (30) (Poinsettia, 2005).

-Most first downs rushing, both teams: Nevada-Arizona, 38 (Previous: 36—Colorado (47) [24] & Alabama (33) [12] (Liberty, 1969); Miami (FL) (46) [16] & Texas (3) [20] (Cotton, 1991).

An auspicious beginning to the postseason, no?

• Further bowltyme antics. In case you missed it last week, follow along with Stewart Mandel’s Bowl Pickoff right over here.

• Actual playoff happenings. Mount Union continues to do Mount Union things, gaining another D-III championship on Friday night … Valdosta State wrecked Winston-Salem State in the Division II title game … Sam Houston State and North Dakota State will face off for the FCS championship.

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When Notre Dame linebacker Carlo Calabrese told police officers breaking up a South Bend house party that “My people will get you,” did he perhaps mean the people of Ireland itself, who would logically be fans of Notre Dame football? Was he planning to import some upon his return from ND’s season opener against Navy in Dublin to throw an even bigger house party? We’ll never know, as Calabrese and fellow Fighting Irish arrestee Tommy Rees will be held out of the team’s trip to Actual Ireland. Just think of all the puns they’ll miss!

Michael Dyer led Auburn in rushing in 2011 before transferring to Arkansas State. (AP)

An abbreviated list of areas in which running back Michael Dyer excels:

1. Running down a football field while holding a football and not getting caught. Dyer was Auburn’s leading rusher in 2011, averaging more than 100 yards per game all by his lonesome, and ranked No. 20 nationally in ground yardage.

2. Drawing disciplinary action from football coaches. Suspended for (sing along if you know the words) The Ever-Popular And Mysterious Violation Of Team Rules before Auburn’s Chick-fil-A Bowl game, Dyer transferred to Arkansas State, now the fiefdom of his old coordinator, Gus Malzahn. Denied an NCAA waiver to play this season, Dyer pledged to stick it out with the Red Wolves rather than opting for the 2013 NFL Draft.

Less than two weeks later, however, Dyer is adrift again after a violation of team rules that’s a little more concrete:

According to a Jonesboro Sun report written by Matt Roberson (subscription required), the dismissal is likely related to a March traffic stop in White County. Dyer was pulled over by an Arkansas State Trooper who found marijuana and a gun in his vehicle. [...] It is unclear who was in possession of the gun and marijuana, per the newspaper’s report. Trooper Royce Denney issued Dyer a speeding ticket and no charges were filed stemming from the discovery of the handgun or drugs. Per The Sun Denney is currently under investigation for his handling of the stop.

Please join us in regretting that Terry Bowden no longer reigns at nearby North Alabama, which would solve this problem to everyone’s satisfaction.