Why KaVontae Turpin may be eligible to participate in TCU’s Pro Day
KaVontae Turpin will be allowed to participate in TCU’s Pro Day later this month if his legal issues are resolved, coach Gary Patterson said.
Turpin is facing domestic violence charges in New Mexico and Fort Worth, and each case is still pending. The Fort Worth incident with his then-girlfriend happened last October, and an incident from March 2018 in New Mexico involving the same woman came to light afterward.
That prompted Patterson to dismiss Turpin from the program. But Patterson is willing to welcome Turpin back and provide an avenue for Turpin’s professional dreams should the legal issues be resolved by TCU’s Pro Day on March 29.
“He’s one of ours,” Patterson said after a spring practice Sunday. “He’s supposed to be going to counseling, and if he gets everything cleared up, it’s not going to be one of those things where TCU’s going to say, ‘No.’ If he clears up and he does what he’s supposed to, he’ll have an opportunity to run on Pro Day because he was a TCU Horned Frog.”
Patterson said he and Turpin have discussed the conditions for Pro Day, and the reports Patterson has received have been positive about Turpin getting his off-field life in order.
“If he can get everything cleared up, and everybody thinks that he’s done a good job of trying to better himself, then he’ll have an opportunity to run for us and help himself in his NFL career,” Patterson said. “If he doesn’t do that, then I have people that I have to answer to and you have to do the right thing. He knows that.”
For Turpin, it’s a matter of hope that the cases will be resolved by then. The Fort Worth case was “still pending,” as of last week.
The New Mexico case has a pre-trial hearing scheduled for March 25.
Patterson said if the legal matters aren’t cleared up favorably for Turpin by the March 29 Pro Day, Turpin likely won’t be eligible to participate. At that point, it would likely come down to a decision made between Patterson, athletics director Jeremiah Donati and chancellor Victor Boschini.
“I love Turpin. He’s one of ours,” Patterson said. “But the key to it is we also represent a lot of other people and you’re supposed to hold a certain standard. I hope that he gets an opportunity to run. If he doesn’t, those are the reasons why he wouldn’t get a chance to.
“We love him to death, but all of those questions have to get answered before we can say yes or no.”
Turpin has been training for a possible pro day at APEC in Fort Worth. He has been impressing the staff at that gym with his work ethic, and athleticism.
Turpin has put on weight and is at 165 pounds. He expressed confidence about his abilities to make it as a pro to the Star-Telegram last week, and was hopeful that TCU would open its doors for a Pro Day.
“If I can do a Pro Day at TCU, I feel I’m going to turn a lot of heads,” Turpin said. “I’m going to be the top-notch player that I can be, so I’m just doing what I can do.”
Turpin, the best returner in TCU history, described himself as a “one-of-a-kind player.”
“I just need an opportunity,” Turpin said. “It’s all I need.”
Patterson and TCU are willing to give him his first opportunity if his legal issues are resolved.
