Data analyst and reporter for ESPN's Enterprise and Investigative Unit. The Greatest Food Debates Of All Time, Answered Pineapple On Pizza? Maurkice & Mike Pouncey. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Please check your email for a confirmation. Powell and his agent did not respond to requests for an interview. JACQUES RICKERSON Charge No. This time, he was kicked off the football team and would later be found guilty. Outcome: The charge was dropped despite serving probation for his original arrest. Janoris Jenkins. According to a report from UF insider Nick De La Torre, filming is still in process. According to the report, the owner, Gregory Cristell, stated Powell thinks just because he plays football for UF that he should get free stuff. Police gave Powell a trespass warning and, even though the incident didnt make news, police reported it directly to an athletic department administrator. But a number of players on the team did not live up to Tebows ideal. Wilson rejoined the team in 2008 but was suspended and eventually kicked off after the third charge. Everyone wants to defeat their biggest foe, after all. 2009 . Ben Tobias, a spokesman for the Gainesville Police Department, wrote in an e-mail that it would be difficult to compare the arrest rate for football players in those years with the general arrest rate for Florida students. The head coach has been surrounded by criticism, too, whether that be at Ohio State or in the NFL. Outcome: The State Attorneys Office is currently investigating. National Champions, with the first ever Sophomore to win the Hesiman, Tim Tebow, leading the way. Some faced little discipline, while others left the university. Crimes range from unpaid tickets to murder, and everything in between. Outcome: The July case was closed. But in 2009, the number of arrests was such that The Orlando Sentinel, which covers the university, decided to maintain an online database to keep track of them. Outcome: Grace completed a deferred prosecution program including 7.5 hours of community service. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? A 63-yard Tennessee drive ending with a Jonathan Crompton 1-yard TD run. "We recognize that and understand that. Safety Tony Joiner was charged with breaking into an impound lot to retrieve his girlfriend's towed car. Florida outscored opponents 611-181 that season, losing just one game by a single point to Ole Miss. That hardly makes them unique, as recent Publix. Eyewitnesses told police that Grace threw a punch. Outcome: Charges were dropped. Outcome: Wilson pleaded no contest to battery and discharging a firearm. The 2008 Florida Gators, a team that featured Aaron Hernandez and Tim Tebow, won the BCS championship, but 41 of the 121 players on that roster have been arrested. We recognize that and understand that., He added, No perception of a pattern here for us.. Ben Tobias, a spokesman for the Gainesville Police Department, wrote in an email that it would be difficult to compare the arrest rate for football players in those years with the general arrest rate for Florida students. After Hernandez's recent arrest, his time in Gainesville received renewed scrutiny, with reports that he ruptured a man's eardrum during the fight in 2007 and that he did not cooperate with the police after the shooting in 2007. Michigan State pic.twitter.com/qzsrmDSUpz. That number included 16 players on that seasons final two-deep roster, nine of whom were starters, as well as a kicker, punter and returner. Overall, the Outside the Lines investigation found that what occurs between high-profile college athletes and law enforcement is not as simple as the commonly held perception that police and prosecutors simply show preferential treatment, though that does occur. Tim Tebow was the star, a full-fledged phenomenon as beloved for his strong faith and motivating personality as for his onfield dominance. JON DEMPS Charge: Misdemeanor driving with a suspended license in September 2006. That number is 31, as in, at least 31 arrests of Florida's football players from 2005 to 2010. Outcome: Charges were reduced to misdemeanor status, then the Alachua County courts gave him two years probation without proceeding with the charges. The unsavory underbelly of the Gators football dominance was recently highlighted when Aaron Hernandez, a starting tight end on the 2008 national championship team who later played for the New England Patriots, was accused by authorities of committing an execution-style murder in Massachusetts. ", "It is a continual part of our program to mentor and guide our players and it is not an exact process. So a preacher, a racist and a murderer walk into a bar. Urban Meyer was on campus this summer to film interviews, and Tim Tebow, Major Wright, Ahmad Black and . BRANDON JAMES Charge: Purchasing marijuanaa felonyalong with misdemeanor possession of marijuana in June 2007. Winner, 2014 Alfred I. duPont Columbia University Award; finalist, 2012 IRE broadcast award; winner, 2011 Gannett Foundation Award for Innovation in Watchdog Journalism; Emmy nominated, 2009. The full report. Marcus Gilbert. Could more have been done to put Hernandez on the right path during his time at Gainesville? The 2008 Gators went 70-5 overall and 27-1 in SEC play. Meyer made a similar comment in a text message that was reported Saturday by a sportswriter for The Columbus Dispatch. Urban Meyer, who took over for a scandal-plagued Ohio State program, coached the Florida and has come under fire. But a back injury from . In 2008, Moses Jenkins -- no relation to Janoris -- had a couple minor run-ins with police. All rights reserved. . He was cited for having a stolen parking decal, which was a common citation among athletes, and he was with a group of athletes whom police questioned about shooting fireworks at people, to which Florida running back Chris Rainey admitted responsibility. Any time an athlete is arrested, it makes the news, Tobias wrote. Letsgetstarted. Just a handful of players from the 2008 team that went on to play in the NFL. They beat No. Florida Rivalries are bitter by nature. Hernandez, arguably the most troubled of the bunch, saw his NFL career end after he became the center of a 2013 murder investigation. pic.twitter.com/WGabdG27T3, Saturday Down South (@SatDownSouth) August 31, 2022. Cam Newton. At Florida, he also had run-ins with the police. Will Hill. As the draft draws closer and closer, former Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson remains a fixture in the early first round of most (). Filming is still in progress. No. Other arrests involved a starting defensive end, Carlos Dunlap, accused of driving under the influence before the conference championship game; a starting cornerback, Janoris Jenkins, charged with resisting arrest; and a key running back, Chris Rainey, accused of sending a text message to a former girlfriend that read, in part, "time to die." Twenty-five Florida athletes had multiple run-ins with police, often without facing charges or any public airing of what they did. He dismissed criticisms that he was too lenient and that his players were too undisciplined. By the time the Bulldogs finally found the end zone late in the second half, the majority of their fans had left and the 50/50 split in the stadium was then leaning decidedly Orange and Blue. It's time for Urban Meyer to step up and accept his issues with his players. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Tennessee was able to get points on the board on the following drive. Several of those players went on to the NFL and one, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, transferred and later won the Heisman Trophy at Auburn. Is A Hot Dog A Sandwich? Theres more in there, so I can easily charge you. Outcome: Case was dismissed due to lack of evidence, according to lawyer Huntley Johnson. [via NYT], Related: Urban Meyer: Florida Didnt Cover Up Any Failed Drug Tests by Aaron Hernandez He cited a case that made news though it involved only a stolen taco. The episode led to Newton's transfer. The Gators competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Our staff, myself and our families worked very hard to mentor and guide him, he said of Hernandez. That number is 31, as in, at least 31 arrests of Floridas football players from 2005 to 2010. Outcome: Atkins received pre-trial intervention and both cases were eventually dropped. Hornsby served a previous five-game suspension, but it wasnt for the first misdemeanor it was for selling his complimentary tickets. The penalties imposed on the players by Florida varied widely. The resume he posted during his short stint will go down as one of the most successful runs in SEC history. "Our staff, myself and our families worked very hard to mentor and guide him," he said of Hernandez. Over the weekend, the piling on Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer continued. Outcome: Newton received pre-trial deferment common for a first-time offender and is serving community service and probation time. "Relating or blaming these serious charges to University of Florida, myself or our staff is wrong and irresponsible," Meyer said in a text sent to. Marve is no longer with the team, having transferred to Purdue. It will star both Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow, as well as a few other members of the program. Jamar Hornsby was among one of the players who faced charges. BroBible is the #1 place on the internet for the very best content from the worlds of sports, culture, gear, high tech, and more. Gators. Buckle up, folks. ", He added, "No perception of a pattern here for us.". Jenkins attorney, Huntley Johnson, said at the time that Jenkins acted in self-defense and he expected the charges to be dismissed, which they were after he received deferred prosecution. 2: Unauthorized use of a credit card to obtain goods and services, a felony, along with misdemeanor larceny of a credit card for allegedly making more than 70 fraudulent charges on the gas credit card of a female UF student who died seven months earlier. OTL: Florida Gators had most athletes as crime suspects from 2009-14, Scout's Take: ATH Daxton Hill to Michigan, Scout's Take: DT Nathan Pickering to Mississippi State, Scout's Take: DE Justin Eboigbe to Alabama, Scout's Take: DE Savion Jackson to NC State, Scout's Take: QB Grant Gunnell to Arizona, Nick Saban's open-door policy a factor in Alabama's draft success, Scout's Take: DE Zacch Pickens to South Carolina, SEC continues first-round dominance with 10 draft selections, Florida's offense is on 'right track' with new staff, Where things stand in Alabama QB battle after spring game, Clemson's QB battle could heat up in spring game, Rose Bowl to host celebration of life for Keith Jackson, Beset by injuries, Auburn remains a mystery this spring, Why West Virginia could have college football's top offense in 2018. Conference: SEC (East Division) Maybe the University of. Unfortunately for the Gators, the play was called back. After Hernandez's arrest, Florida declined to comment. Your email address will not be published. When the Gators take on the Bulldogs in Jacksonville this Saturday, its unlikely to see a repeat of that result. Was this a program filled with players of questionable character, or a program now receiving unfair scrutiny because of a heinous act attributed to one of its former players? The Florida results: You have cocaine in your car alright, the officer said on the video during the traffic stop. According to @delatorre, the 08 Florida Gators documentary is almost here. Notre Dame Tobias said Meyer visited the police department once to tell the officers not to give his players preferential treatment, which, Tobias added, was already the directive from police officials. Oklahoma State While at Florida, Hernandez had run-ins with the police in Gainesville, who questioned him and three teammates after a 2007 shooting and recommended a felony battery charge against him after a fight at a restaurant (the case was not pursued). Notre Dame According to the New York Times, aroster on the universitys website lists 121 players, 41 of whom were arrested either in college or after, and sometimes both. He cited a case that made news, though it involved only a stolen taco. Oregon State Janoris Jenkins. Carlos Dunlap. In six seasons, they won 65 games, two Southeastern Conference championships and two national titles. He caught it, slowly took a couple steps and began to lower his knee to the ground. They get to the campus, and they feel like they can get away with stuff. 1: Misdemeanor charges of battery and theft in July 2005 stemming from a sworn complaint. "If Coach Meyer were still coaching, I'd still be playing for the Gators," he was quoted as saying. Team punishment: To be determined. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Urban Meyer's teams are trouble off the field, lots of trouble. Charge No. "Any time an athlete is arrested it makes the news," Tobias wrote. View the 2008 Florida Gators schedule, results and scores for the 2008 FBS college football season. There were nearly no weak links in the Gators armor. Urban Meyer has a knack for turning teams around, let's see him turn Florida back around to a respectable power. But rivalries in sports rarely carry outright disdain, at least from coaches and players. Outcome: Charges were dropped. Joe Paterno has done it at Penn State and it hasn't hurt his team. The team boasted a Heisman winner, 19 NFL draft picks (including six first-rounders), and unprecedented success on the field. But Meyer's wife, Shelley, posted on her Twitter page, "When will we start holding individuals accountable for their own decisions/actions and stop blaming any/everyone else?" Hernandez was not an athlete, but his name would surface years later in connection to Aaron Hernandez, no family relation, the former New England Patriots star recently convicted in the murder of Odin Lloyd. Tobias said Meyer visited the police department once to tell the officers not to give his players preferential treatment, which, Tobias added, was already the directive from police officials. Join our linker program. Wisconsin. Taking pity on the Georgia players, whose fans had abandoned them, some Florida fans in the crowd cheered after the UGA touchdown just to be courteous, of course. https://t.co/HeJFqIhNAo pic.twitter.com/w6RLxloBNB, CossTheFirst (@C_O_S_S_) August 31, 2022. Aaron Hernandez. Stats. The full report.Individual reports about what Outside the Lines found at each school studied: Auburn norwich university tuition room and board. Several months later, Jenkins spoke to The Orlando Sentinel about his dismissal. 1: Cited for misdemeanor property damage and criminal mischief in April 2007 for allegedly throwing a man onto the hood of a car during a fight. Safety Dorian Munroe was charged with felony theft, accused of removing a parking boot affixed to his car. Florida. The initial investigation took place in June 2006 with Atkins facing accusations of felony false imprisonment along with the battery charge. Florida The 2008 roster included Newton, who was charged with stealing a laptop from another Florida student. But along with having the most athletes involved in alleged crimes, Florida also had the most repeat offenders. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Newton transferred to Blinn (Texas) Junior College. Team punishment: No suspension for Munroe. Check out our 2008 florida gators selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. In six seasons, they won 65 games, two SEC championships and two national titles. If Urban is looking out for his players, he might want to lend them that piece of advice. A documentary on the 2008 Florida Gators, a football team filled with more storylines than an episode of 24, could be coming to Netflix. Record: 13-1 (2nd of 119) ( Schedule & Results ) Rank: 1st in the Final AP poll. Crimes range from unpaid tickets to murder, and everything in . ), My guess is the next time an Ohio State player is arrested, these Florida figures will be trotted out. That number included 16 players on that seasons final two-deep roster, nine of whom were starters, as well as a kicker, punter and returner. According to the New York Times, "a roster on the university's website lists 121 players, 41 of whom were arrested either in college or after, and sometimes both. Sign up for the Gators Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Outcome: Hornsby received deferred prosecution and the charge was later dismissed. Conference: SEC (East Division) Conference Record: 7-1. #liveyourliferight. The University of Florida has now taken their rightful spot as the number one team in the state, on and off the field. Or write about sports? Despite the off-field antics that plagued the roster, the 2008 Gators were still one of the more dominant college teams in recent memory. He said he was proud of those teams. An examination of more than 2,000 documents shows that college athletes accused of crimes mainly benefited from a confluence of factors that can be reality at major sports programs. In recent years, Meyer addressed the number of players charged with crimes during his time at Florida by noting the propensity of college students to get in trouble. Other arrests involved a starting defensive end, Carlos Dunlap, accused of driving under the influence before the conference championship game; a starting cornerback, Janoris Jenkins, charged with resisting arrest; and a substitute running back, Chris Rainey, accused of sending a text message to a former girlfriend that read, in part, time to die. (Rainey was arrested in January in Gainesville on battery charges and released by the Pittsburgh Steelers.). Individual reports about what Outside the Lines found at each school studied: Auburn Record: 13-1 (2nd of 119) ( Schedule & Results ) Rank: 1st in the Final AP poll. Relating or blaming these serious charges to the University of Florida, myself or our staff is wrong and irresponsible, Meyer told the sportswriter, Tim May. Charge #2: Felony domestic violence by strangulation and felony obstruction of justice after a November 2008 altercation with a girlfriend. 41 have been arrested at some point in the days since that title. The Times doesnt make any foolish leaps and attempt to draw conclusions like pinning it all on Urban Meyer but obviously, this will come back to him because the media loves to beat him up. There were many other infamous names on that 2008 Gator team Offensive linemen Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, the Pouncey brothers, who wore "Free Hernandez" hats in support of their felon friend, starting a movement that brought a lot of the wrong attention. The authorities said Newton threw it from a window when the police arrived. College Football at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. Ronnie Wilson, a lineman from Meyer's initial 2005 recruiting class, punched and spat on a man, then opened his trunk, grabbed an AK-47 and opened fire outside a nightclub in April 2007, a police report charged. Marcus Gilbert. And coach Urban Meyer and the Gators showed no mercy. Team punishment: Joiner never missed game time, but Meyer stripped him of his captaincy. 1. "This group of players we have now are by and large a pretty good group. Team punishment: Murphy was suspended for three games during the 2006 season. 2008. Oklahoma State It was not Powells first incident with police. This news is music to the ears of college football fans, and they cant wait for this juicy segment to come out. Rather, the examination of more than 2,000 documents shows that athletes from the 10 schools mainly benefited from the confluence of factors that can be reality at major sports programs: the near-immediate access to high-profile attorneys, the intimidation that is felt by witnesses who accuse athletes, and the higher bar some criminal justice officials feel needs to be met in high-profile cases. Meyer's response to this issue? https://gatorswire.usatoday.com/2020/11/05/florida-gators-vs-georgia-bulldogs-history-memories-2008-urban-meyer-timeout-game-tim-tebow/, ESPN labels Gators' defense their biggest obstacle to a playoff run, ESPN's latest SP+ rankings are high on Gators, Where will the Gators play their bowl game? The program was out of control," admitted former Florida safety Bryan Thomas. A canine officer came to the scene and flagged a likely presence of narcotics in the car, and the investigating officer searched it, finding a white powdery substance on the drivers seat that she tested on site.