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Freshman LB who started opener then bolted from team breaks silence
Former TCU linebacker Mike Freeze, the true freshman who earned a starting job and then took a personal leave of absence following the season-opener at Minnesota has broken silence.
Freeze told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Wednesday that he has dropped out of TCU and has no intention of returning to coach Gary Patterson's program.
Patterson has said that Freeze would be allowed to return to the team if he so choose. Patterson has never elaborated on why Freeze left the team, only to say it was personal decision, and not a disciplinary function.
Freeze said he plans to resume his football career elsewhere, but has not yet been granted his release from TCU.
“I made some great friends at TCU and I believe our friendships will last forever,” Freeze told the Star-Telegram's Travis L. Brown via Facebook messenger. “I’d also like to say that I have the upmost respect for Coach Patterson. It just turned out that TCU wasn’t a good fit for me. I wish the Frogs the best.”
Freeze started the opener and recorded seven tackles. Less than a week later, Patterson announced he had taken an indefinite leave of absence. His departure was costly because TCU also lost its other starting linebacker to injury, and has been decimated by an unusually high number of season-ending injuries during the first three weeks of the season.
Still, No. 3 TCU (7-0, 4-0) has patched its defense together to remain undefeated. The Horned Frogs are off this week and return to action next Thursday at home against West Virginia.
