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Illinois defensive lineman Jarrod Clements not facing suspension after arrest

The senior was involved in a fight back on March 4.

By Jim Vainisi
Photo via Fighting Illini Athletics

Illinois defensive lineman Jarrod "Chunky" Clements has pleaded not guilty to a count of misdemeanor battery; the charge stems from a fight that took place during a party on March 4. Lovie Smith has already announced that the 6-foot-4, 290-pound senior will not be facing a suspension from the team. According to The News-Gazette, Clements has signed a second-chance agreement to erase the charges as long as he meets an unspecified set of requirements.

You can find more details on the incident right here, but Clements was accused of punching another man at a party. The police eventually filed charges on April 28 after recognizing him in a video review. Unfortunately, Clements was never served a warrant for his arrest, so it seems he was completely unaware of a May 20 court date — which he obviously missed.

Statement from Lovie Smith

"We are aware of the incident from several months ago involving Jarrod Clements, and I am disappointed in Jarrod's actions. He has already begun working toward fulfilling the community service hours that were assigned to him by the court. We will reinforce to Jarrod the expectations we have of him as a student-athlete."

This really doesn't seem like anything too major, so I think Lovie made the right decision by opting against a suspension. Hopefully Clements learns from this and doesn't find his way into the headlines for the wrong reasons again.