Why Dan Mullen has to suspend, dismiss Florida players

Every year there’s a cup called the Fulmer Cup, named after the school that gets the most arrests during the offseason and season.

And as much as fun as Florida’s former head coach Steve Spurrier has made fun of Georgia in the past for the Bulldogs behavior (“I don’t know. I sort of always liked playing them that second game because you could always count on them having two or three key players suspended), suddenly there’s a bit of egg on face in The Swamp.

Because at the moment it’s a damned mess at Florida.

First of all, there have been the dual arrests of freshman RB Justin Watkins – both of which are incredibly disturbing. The first – which happened in May – was when he followed a female student to her car and kicked her car – after following her to her high school. He was arrested there for illegal trespass.

And then Watkins was arrested for a quadruple felony. This included two first-degree counts of kidnap (false imprisonment), a third-degree count of domestic battery by strangulation, according to records. That’s pretty frightening.

Mullen suspended him indefinitely, when most head coaches probably would have booted him.

AIR GUN-GATE

This time, there’s university police getting called for an argument between seven football players and Gainseville-based gambler. Some of the players involved (WRs Tyrie Cleveland and WR Rick Wells, who were suspended last year for credit card fraud) had been suspended last year, so evidently they hadn’t learned their lesson.

And stupidly, they were waving their BB guns – made to look like AR-15 Assault rifles for some stupid reason – around. As SB Nation reported, this “UF’s student code of conduct, which prohibits the use or possession of any firearms — BB guns included”.

They then lied to the police.

Now the police  – because they didn’t arrest any of the players – has recommended that they go and speak to the Student Conduct and Resolution Department.

WHY NOT BOOT OR SUSPEND?

The kids are lucky, because if we’re honest, Mullen should put his foot down. Watkins should be booted not ‘suspended indefinitely’ (although he may well end up in jail). Cleveland and Wells should also go or be suspended for the whole 2018 season because they were part of a fight and this is their second offense. Or simply get thrown out. Oh, and we can’t understand why the police didn’t arrest players involved with the BB guns for violating on-campus firearms rules. WR Kadarius Toney, who apparently was carrying the gun, got a little lucky. If he’d been in Gainseville itself, he could well have ended up being tazered or a lot, lot worse. Mullen HAS to suspend Toney for the season.

So far, Mullen’s response has been a little limp. It’s along the lines of having a big ol’ sigh and saying: “Boys will be boys”. He said: “We were made aware of the incident when it occurred and immediately began following campus protocol,” the statement read. “This has been an opportunity for us to educate our players about the dangers and negative perceptions that can occur when conflict arises, and how important honesty and good decision making is.

We hate to say it, but this ‘campus protocol’ stuff lets Mullen cover his behind and reinstate his players. He has to put his foot down hard, or he’ll lose what respect he has from both media and players.

Shouldn’t have worn those Jordans, coach.