Dalton's Jalen Fields departing ULL

Friday, January 1, 1904

photo Jalen Fields is shown in this 2009 file photo.

Former Dalton High School defensive end and University of Georgia signee Jalen Fields will not play his senior football season at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Fields compiled nine tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack last year as a reserve with the Ragin' Cajuns, who won a second straight New Orleans Bowl. The 6-foot-5, 280-pounder was sidelined at the start of last season and sustained a thumb injury not long after his return.

His departure was recently announced by ULL coach Mark Hudspeth and was described Monday by a ULL spokesman as a "mutual divorce."

The first commitment in Georgia's 2010 signing class, Fields racked up 141 tackles, 12 sacks and four forced fumbles during his final two seasons with the Catamounts. He was rated the nation's No. 14 strongside defensive end nationally by Rivals.com, but he failed to qualify academically and spent the 2010 and '11 seasons at Georgia Military College.