Michigan Wolverines football helmet (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)
Former University of Michigan football player Patrick Kugler was arrested last week in Tennessee for allegedly searching online to find a minor he could have sex with.
The 29-year-old was one of six men arrested by undercover agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Human Trafficking Unit, along with Homeland Security agents and Clarksville police officers.
The Austin Peay co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach resigned from his position on Sunday following that arrest during a human trafficking investigation, the university said in a statement.
The Austin Peay athletic department said it was “aware” of Kugler’s arrest and confirmed he stepped down.
“Austin Peay State University is aware of the arrest of former football assistant coach Patrick Kugler, who resigned his position on Sunday, Aug. 18. The Clarksville Police Department are the lead authorities for the arrest, and any additional questions should be directed to them. Austin Peay will have no further comments on the matter,” the university said in a statement.
Investigators placed decoy advertisements on websites in an effort to “identify individuals seeking to engage in commercial sex acts with minors.”
Patrick Kugler, a former Michigan offensive lineman, was charged with one count of trafficking for sexual servitude.
His bond was set at $5,000.
Patrick Kugler Had Quite The Career At Michigan Before Graduating
Patrick Kugler was once a full scholarship, three-year letterwinner offensive lineman at Michigan.
From 2013 through the 2018 season, he appeared in 26 games with 15 starts for the Wolverines.
Kugler earned All-B1G honorable mention honors at center during his career at Michigan.
He would go on to graduate from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, Science, and The Arts in 2017 before obtaining his Master of Arts in Social Work in 2018, per Blackbears.com.
Now, Patrick Kugler will be remembered for what he did years after his time at the school came to an end.
The 29-year-old was one of six men arrested during a human trafficking investigation.
