While four FBS teams started their seasons last night, every other team was preparing for their opener next week. That doesn’t mean everyone was idle though, and now the Tennessee Volunteers might be without starting cornerback Bryce Thompson after a troubling incident last night.
UT cornerback Bryce Thompson was arrested on a domestic assault charge Saturday night.
Thompson allegedly said he would "shoot up the school" after threatening to "slap the (expletive) out of" a woman during an argument Saturday night. https://t.co/EEJYAI6Q3X
— Mike Wilson (@ByMikeWilson) August 25, 2019
According to reports, Thompson and his girlfriend were involved in a domestic dispute in a campus dormitory. The incident allegedly started in Thompson’s room as a result of his girlfriend discovering fake eyebrows that didn’t belong to her, and from there an argument ensued that eventually led to police being called.
Once campus authorities arrived at the scene, they discovered that a gate had been knocked off its hinges and that Thompson was “extremely upset and agitated”. Witnesses were then questioned, and Thompson was arrested for misdemeanor domestic assault.
Thompson allegedly levied multiple threats during the incident, with one person telling police that the cornerback threatened to shoot up the school. Multiple witnesses told authorities that he had threatened to slap his girlfriend during the dispute.
According to the victim, this isn’t the first time that Thompson has behaved in this manner. Thompson and the woman have been dating for the last four years, and she said that Thompson “has a bad temper and has punched walls during past arguments.”
Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt is expected to address the incident during his weekly conference call in a couple days. The Volunteers open their season on August 31 against Georgia State, and it’s very likely that the star cornerback will be suspended for at least that game.
Bryce Thompson started 10 games as a freshman last season, and he played very well in his first season. He led the team with three interceptions and seven pass break-ups, earning Freshman All-American recognition for his performance.
H/T ESPN and Knox News
