NIU football’s Al Chaires, who began the year as the No. 4 fullback, will have a court date in February.

The 22-year-old senior sociology major was arrested about 1:50 a.m. Saturday outside of The Dungeon night club, 1027 W. Hillcrest Drive, on two counts of battery.

As was reported in Tuesday’s edition of the Northern Star, according to police reports, a patrolling police officer noticed a large crowd outside The Dungeon and counted six fights involving about 200 people. The fighting increased, and the original officer present sprayed pepper spary at a large group that was kicking and punching an individual, effectively stopping that fight.

“From what we were told, the police shot the Capstun smoke gun, and after they did that [Chaires] was the only one still fighting,” NIU Athletics Director Cary Groth said.

“He is suspended pending a court decision,” Groth added. “Usually, it means he is not allowed to play or practice. But in this situation, we don’t have either of those situations … There’s nothing official that’s being done.”

Set to graduate in May, Chaires is not doing anything related with the football team. The team begins winter conditioning on Monday, but, as a senior, he will not participate.

According to Groth, NIU coach Joe Novak was going to speak with Chaires on Tuesday.

Novak was unavailable for comment and Chaires declined to comment.

“The chief of police has our numbers, and if there is an arrest made in the city [with an NIU athlete], they call us,” Groth added. “Our job is to make sure [the University Judicial Office] is made a part of it as well. This is now also in the judicial process.”