Former NFL star Aaron Hernandez is found dead in his prison cell Watch on Videos you may like FOLLOW US JON DEMPS Charge: Misdemeanor driving with a suspended license in September 2006. Previous Year Next Year. Five Gators were named All-Americans and Junior pitcher Stacey Nelson was the SEC Pitcher of the Year. National Champions, with the first ever Sophomore to win the Hesiman, Tim Tebow, leading the way. Want more of our free, weekly newslettersinyourinbox? [via NYT], Related: Urban Meyer: Florida Didnt Cover Up Any Failed Drug Tests by Aaron Hernandez The team boasted a Heisman winner, 19 NFL draft picks (including six first-rounders), and unprecedented success on the field. Brandon Spikes. College Football at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. The Gators didnt lose again. Joe Haden. Urban Meyer's teams are trouble off the field, lots of trouble. Ronnie Wilson, a lineman from Meyers 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. Twenty-five Florida athletes had multiple run-ins with police, often without facing charges or any public airing of what they did. 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. After scoring a touchdown in the first quarter to break a 0-0 tie, the Bulldogs bench cleared to celebrate the score in the end zone, drawing an excessive celebration penalty. So a preacher, a racist and a murderer walk into a bar. If Urban is looking out for his players, he might want to lend them that piece of advice. ), My guess is the next time an Ohio State player is arrested, these Florida figures will be trotted out. 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. Team punishment: Curtis was in Meyers doghouse, but he was also injured, so it was difficult to tell why he was out. Missouri Rivalries are bitter by nature. 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. Even in the final minute, with the outcome already decided, Meyer called all of his remaining timeouts, just to prolong Georgias suffering a little while longer. A play that @GeorgiaFootball fans (and all college football fans) will always remember: The Gator Stomp. And coach Urban Meyer and the Gators showed no mercy. Our staff, myself and our families worked very hard to mentor and guide him, he said of Hernandez. He noted that athletes arrests generally garnered more attention. Meyer made a similar comment in a text message reported Saturday by a sportswriter for the Columbus Dispatch. Record: 13-1 (2nd of 119) (Schedule & Results), Bowl Game: Won BCS Championship 24-14 versus Oklahoma, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 11:34AM. "If Coach Meyer were still coaching, I'd still be playing for the Gators," he was quoted as saying. He recently commented on the alarming numbers. CARL JOHNSON Charge: Misdemeanor violation of a sexual restraining order in February 2009 after getting on the same campus bus as an ex-girlfriend. Marcus Gilbert. Oklahoma State Safety Tony Joiner was charged with breaking into an impound lot to retrieve his girlfriend's towed car. A search of the vehicle uncovered a baggie of marijuana under Jenkins seat. "Any time an athlete is arrested it makes the news," Tobias wrote. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. A 63-yard Tennessee drive ending with a Jonathan Crompton 1-yard TD run. But other, more serious charges included aggravated stalking, domestic violence by strangulation, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and fraudulent use of credit cards, according to criminal record databases. 2: Felony domestic violence by strangulation and felony obstruction of justice after a November altercation with a girlfriend. Florida Gators Main Navigation Menu. Our Parenting and Advice newsletter supports you in the daunting task of parenthood. Wisconsin. It has all left some wondering just what the culture at Florida was at the time. Is A Hot Dog A Sandwich? Marcus Gilbert. In recent years, though, another number has been affixed to the Meyer era. Outcome: Charges were dropped and Demps received six months probation. DUSTIN DOE Charge: Misdemeanor affray and resisting arrest for his role in an April 2007 fight. LOUIS MURPHY Charge: Misdemeanor possession of marijuana in May 2006. Meyer's response to this issue? Data analyst and reporter for ESPN's Enterprise and Investigative Unit. Relating or blaming these serious charges to the UniversityofFlorida, myself or our staff is wrong and irresponsible.. After Hernandez's arrest, Florida declined to comment. Janoris Jenkins. All Sports Calendar Baseball Men's Basketball Women's Basketball Cross Country Football Men's Golf Women's Golf Gymnastics Lacrosse Softball Soccer Men's Swimming & Diving Women's Swimming & Diving Men's Tennis Women's Tennis Track & Field Volleyball Baseball Baseball: Facebook Baseball: Twitter Baseball: Instagram Baseball: Schedule Baseball . 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. Crimes range from unpaid tickets to murder, and everything in between. Charge No. Outcome: Grace completed a deferred prosecution program including 7.5 hours of community service. Filming is still in progress. Jamar Hornsby was among one of the players who faced charges. In his six years at the helm, 31 Gators were arrested. After that Week 4 defeat, Tebow made his famous speech, vowing that no team would play harder than his Gators the rest of the season. Even more amazing, since Randy Shannon took over "Thug-U," only one player has been arrested: Freshman Robert Marve for breaking a car mirror. He said he was proud of those teams. We need a 30 for 30 on this team. David Swanson Sep 9, 2013 A period that's already been really pretty shitty for the members of the University. Team punishment: Suspended for one game, the 2007 opener against Western Kentucky. (Rainey was arrested in January in Gainesville on battery charges and released by the Pittsburgh Steelers.). Despite the off-field antics that plagued the roster, the 2008 Gators were still one of the more dominant college teams in recent memory. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Consider this, 24 Gators from that . 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? When will we start holding individuals accountable for their own decisions/actions and stop blaming any/everyone else? Links to state and local court records, general Iowa court information, directory of courts, and online resources for courts in Iowa You may NOT use these forms to bring other issues to the court your county Recorder maintains official records of documents affecting real . Outcome: Atkins received pre-trial intervention and both cases were eventually dropped. The 2008 Florida Gators won the BCS National Championship. Missouri The 2008 Florida Gators baseball team represented the University of Florida in the sport of baseball during the 2008 college baseball season. DT Omar Hunter (6-0, 322): Former coach Urban Meyer put a lot of pressure on Hunter by saying the Gators needed him to play well for the defense to be successful in 2008. Dunlap was suspended for the SEC title game. Meyer was forced to answer questions about the University of Florida football program he coached from 2005-10 after The New York Timesreported that a staggering 41 of the 121 players listed on Florida's 2008 national championship rosterhad either been arrested while at Florida or after leaving there. Charge #2: Felony domestic violence by strangulation and felony obstruction of justice after a November 2008 altercation with a girlfriend. The 2008 Florida Gators were National Champs, and in case youd forgotten the season, it was the year Tim Tebow officially became a phenomenon. Of the 121 players on that roster, 41 have been arrested. The Gators ran up the score in a 49-10 win, and they took every opportunity to make it hurt for . With his team up big late in the game, Chris Rainey was back to return a punt. This was on the heels of reports of several incidents involving former Gators tight end Aaron Hernandez during his time in Gainesville, including a bar fight and a 2007 shooting. . Texas A&M 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. Meyer's wife, Shelley, was right when she took to Twitter to defend her husband. An Outside the Lines investigation of 10 major football and mens basketball programs found that the University of Florida had the most athletes -- 80, or 24 percent of its rosters -- named as suspects in more than 100 crimes from 2009 to 2014. As the University of Florida dominated college football for the better half of a decade under coach Urban Meyer, the Gators accumulated numbers of victories and accolades and championships at dizzying rates. Will Hill. 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. Your email address will not be published. An officer wrote that he saw a group of men fighting and yelled at them to stop, but they continued. Crimes range from unpaid tickets to murder, and everything in . Joe Paterno has done it at Penn State and it hasn't hurt his team. But a back injury from . JACQUES RICKERSON Charge No. The Gators' offense was able to put together a 47-yard drive finishing with a 15-yard Tim Tebow touchdown pass to WR Percy Harvin extending the lead to 27-0. Sign up for the Gators Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Charge No. The following year, Florida hadnt forgotten. The penalties imposed on the players by Florida varied widely. Jenkins told police he was fighting because he thought someone was going to steal the gold chain around his neck, but the officer said he didnt see anyone doing that. office 365 management api postman. Meyer's Florida program was a juggernaut during his six-year run, including two BCS national championships, two SEC titles and three division crowns. Hernandez was. Ticket Office Student Tickets Baseball Tickets Men's Basketball Tickets Women's Basketball Tickets Football Tickets Gymnastics Tickets Softball Tickets Volleyball Tickets Gator Boosters Manage My Account . One look at Urban Meyer, and the media's love for this guy becomes obvious. Most of the cases never went to trial, the charges having been dropped or pleaded down. Take a look at where 247Sports sees Florida and its SEC peers playing next winter. Five Gators were named All-Americans (Stacey . Could more have been done to put Hernandez on the right path during his time at Gainesville? Aaron Hernandez. In July 2010, Jenkins and teammate Carl Moore were passengers in a car police stopped for having a dim tag light. At Florida, he also had run-ins with the police. Brandon Spikes. While they happened to have Americas Golden Boy, they also had a roster full of trouble-makers. "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. A probe of 10 major football & men's basketball programs found Florida had the most athletes named as suspects in more than 100 crimes from 2009-14. The list of the players on the 2008 roster includes Newton, who was charged with stealing a laptop from another Florida student. Although we have been very successful with most, we are by no means perfect. Flash-forward to 2021, 2008 seems like a distant memory. Cam Newton. The abundance of arrests from the 2008 title team and the seemingly constant enabling of Hernandez begs the question: Was Florida out of control? That's right, 31. 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.. This one had all the elements: an Everglades creature (in . 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. Newton transferred to Blinn (Texas) Junior College. The aforementioned Joshua James and the gator through the Wendy's drive-through. Probably. 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. Wow! Unfortunately for the Gators, the play was called back. The 2008 Florida Gators were National Champs, and in case you'd forgotten the season, it was the year Tim Tebow officially became a phenomenon. Related: College Football: All-Time All-SEC Team, 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved, have been arrested, either in college or afterward, and sometimes both, Urban Meyer: Florida Didnt Cover Up Any Failed Drug Tests by Aaron Hernandez. (Meyer took time off from coaching after he left the Gators, citing health concerns.). Safety Tony Joiner was charged with breaking into an impound lot to retrieve his girlfriends towed car. Most of the members of that 2008 team have now moved on from football, whether that was after college or the conclusion of their NFL careers. Eyewitnesses told police that Grace threw a punch. According to a report from UF insider Nick De La Torre, filming is still in process. But rivalries in sports rarely carry outright disdain, at least from coaches and players. The 2008 Florida Gators, may simply be, as ex-coach Urban Meyer once announced on Twitter a couple years ago, the best team that ever played college football. Texas A&M But Meyers 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? She added the hashtag liveyourliferight.. Rays were fearless on the bases in 2022. Joshua James Palm Beach Post. steam games about depression. 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? Your email address will not be published. The list does not mention the 'character guys' Meyer relied on to win games such as Percy Harvin (Marijuana, unsportsmanlike conduct suspensions) or Jarvis Moss (Team suspension). Urban Meyer with Florida tight end Aaron Hernandez at the 2010 Sugar Bowl game against the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. JAMAR HORNSBY Charge No. Team punishment: No suspension for Munroe. Fast-forward five years, and the New York Times has apostmortem on that team: of the 121 players that were on the roster that season, 41 who have been arrested, either in college or afterward, and sometimes both., What does it all mean? Urban Meyer, who took over for a scandal-plagued Ohio State program, coached the Florida and has come under fire. In a battle of top-10 teams, UF beat the breaks off the Bulldogs and asserted itself as the top team in the SEC East, which it went on to win in addition to conference and national championships. BroBible writer. 1: Misdemeanor charges of battery and theft in July 2005 stemming from a sworn complaint. This means that there have been 24 different times a Gator player has faced a charge in a court of law. Team punishment: Meyer immediately suspended Atkins, who then transferred to Bethune-Cookman, found legal trouble there and died in July 2007 from a drug overdose. Matt Hayes of Sporting Newspublished a feature in the spring of 2012 detailing how broken Florida was under Meyer. But Jenkins got up and ran away, ignoring commands to stop. Does the Hernandez story and the laundry list of legal incidents tarnish Meyer's legacy at Florida? The program was out of control," admitted former Florida safety Bryan Thomas. Since 2005, Florida has had 24 Gator arrests. Deonte Thompson After considering transferring during a frustrating red-shirt season, Deonte Thompson looked like the next great wide. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The 2008 Florida Gators were a team that went down in the History of College Football. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. sustainable bond market lse; morrison supervisor salary; read the ladies of the wood book witcher 3 Florida State All 24 since 2005, all under the watchful eye of Urban Meyer. Meyer has been a winner no matter where he coaches: With all of Urban's success being known, its time to reveal a harsh reality that the media doesn't want you to know. Outcome: Charges were dropped. 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. See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. Outcome: Charges were dropped. He noted that athletes' arrests generally garnered more attention. For the Gators, that game meant one thing and one thing only: revenge. pic.twitter.com/WGabdG27T3, Saturday Down South (@SatDownSouth) August 31, 2022. UGA went on to win the game 42-30. Those charged included safety Jamar Hornsby, who was accused of ringing up 70 fraudulent charges in 2008 on a credit card that belonged to a woman who died in a motorcycle crash. "Relating or blaming these serious charges to University of Florida, myself or our staff is wrong and irresponsible," Meyer said in a text sent toThe Gainesville Sun. His presence was so overwhelming that he overshadowed his teammates and their arrest records. He caught it, slowly took a couple steps and began to lower his knee to the ground. Tim Tebow was the star, a full-fledged phenomenon as beloved for his strong faith and motivating personality as for his on-field dominance. pic.twitter.com/qzsrmDSUpz. Florida Man Top 10. He was later arrested on charges of marijuana possession and of battery and assault. The truth of the matter is that Urban Meyer has sacrificed values for the "W's" of college football. 2008. This was on the heels of reports of several incidents involving former Gators tight end Aaron Hernandez during his time in Gainesville, including a bar fight and a 2007 shooting. But he faked the kneel and popped back up, rushing down the sideline toward the end zone. Outcome: All charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence. Gators. The authorities said he threw it from a window when the police. Powell and his agent did not respond to requests for an interview. 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. https://t.co/HeJFqIhNAo pic.twitter.com/w6RLxloBNB, CossTheFirst (@C_O_S_S_) August 31, 2022. Stats. Even with the run-ins with the law, Florida was still littered with talent across the board. Meyer made a similar comment in a text message that was reported Saturday by a sportswriter for The Columbus Dispatch. Everyone wants to defeat their biggest foe, after all. These college athletes, in general, get away with way more stuff that happened that didnt reach the papers.. 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. Meyer, about to start his second season as coach of Ohio State, initially declined to answer questions about Hernandez, a player who reportedly went to regular Bible study in Meyers home. Michigan State 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. Many of the charges were typical of college campuses: Underage drinking, disorderly conduct, violations of open-container laws. (If youre not friendly with the media, they lay in the cut and wait for you to screw up, and then unload. His legacy was already etched in stone as a coach who brought the program back to its national prominence with players who struggled with off-the-field discipline. Notre Dame While at UF, Hernandez had run-ins with the police in Gainesville, who questioned him and three teammates after a 2007 shooting and arrested him as a juvenile earlier that year after a fight at a restaurant. THE FULL OTL REPORTAn 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. Meyer just recently got his first crack at an NFL gig, taking over as the Head Coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. 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.). This will be insane https://t.co/IVPKp37HCq, tyler hickman (@tylerhickman5) August 31, 2022, Another said, Half of these interviews are gonna have to be from prison., Half of these interviews are gonna have to be from prison https://t.co/C2NGg7xa2G, Ethan Hulett (@HulettEthan) August 31, 2022. 2009 . Outcome: Charges were reduced to misdemeanor status,. But their success on the field was mirrored by drama away from it. His presence was so overwhelming that he overshadowed his teammates and their arrest records. Outcome: The charge was dropped despite serving probation for his original arrest. To put it simply: Meyer has what only one other man poses (Pete Carroll, USC) in college football: The Midas Touch. He had also been charged with property damage and criminal mischief a year earlier. All rights reserved. Carlos Dunlap. Jenkins, the cornerback, eventually left Florida for North Alabama after Meyers successor, Will Muschamp, dismissed him from the team after marijuana arrests. 1: Misdemeanor possession of marijuana in February 2007. Meyer is the typical "American Dream" story. Outcome: Wilson pleaded no contest to battery and discharging a firearm. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 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. Hernandez was arrested last month and charged with first-degree murder in the death of Odin Lloyd in Massachusetts. The penalties imposed on the players by Florida varied widely. Notre Dame The 2008 Gators team not only included Tebow, but included several Gator legends such as linebacker Brandon Spikes, safety Ahmad Black, receiver Percy Harvin, cornerback Joe Haden, offensive. Former Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer opined during a football camp last week that his 2008 squad, winners of the 2009 BCS Championship, were the best team in the history of college football. The full report. Will Hill. Regardless of the success, Head Coach Urban Meyer still faced criticism for his leniency, in part to the long list of arrests and misconduct under his tenure. 13-1, with six wins over top 25 opponents, including wins over then #3 LSU and #1 Alabama in the SEC Championship game. New rules could make them more aggressive. In one example that did not make Outside the Lines overall investigation, a Gainesville police officer stopped former Florida linebacker Ron Powell for a lane violation in 2014 -- just a few months after he had been drafted by the New Orleans Saints. Maybe the University of. But along with having the most athletes involved in alleged crimes, Florida also had the most repeat offenders. Meyer, about to start his second season as coach of Ohio State, initially declined to answer questions about Hernandez, who reportedly went to regular Bible study in Meyer's home. Spectrum reporter, 9-year-old girl among 3 victims fatally shot in Orlando, Bucs players give team low marks for travel, treatment of families, How IndyCar is making this the greenest Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg yet, Former USF star Lindsey Lamar sets fast pace in CFL. 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. Wilson rejoined the team in 2008 but was suspended and eventually kicked off after the third charge. Outcome: Nothing has been ruled on the case, according to court records. Defensive end Jermaine Cunningham was arrested after an altercation with an employee at the sandwich shop Jimmy Johns. Check out our 2008 florida gators selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Any "mentor" who would have this type of rap sheet from his/her "pupils" would not call themselves a success. History tells us of "Thug-U" (University of Miami) and Free Shoes University (Florida State) and their success with questionable character athletes. 3: One count of battery and one count of assault for an altercation at an apartment complex in October. According to @delatorre, the 08 Florida Gators documentary is almost here. He was right. In six seasons, they won 65 games, two Southeastern Conference championships and two national titles. Those arrests varied from standard incidents in any college town, like alcohol-related escapades, to more serious arrestsincluding Chris Rainey's stalking charge aftertexting "time to die" to his girlfriend, and Jamar Hornsby being accused of running up charges on the credit card of a Florida student who had died in a motorcycle crash six months earlier. Required fields are marked *. It's time for Urban Meyer to step up and accept his issues with his players. ", He added, "No perception of a pattern here for us.". The episode led to Newton's transfer. A roster on the university's website lists 121 players, 41 of whom were arrested either in college or after, and sometimes both. DUSTIN DOE Charge: Misdemeanor affray and resisting arrest for his role in an April 2007.