2017 florida

Seven Florida Players Suspended For Opener Comment Count

Brian

callaway031116_8col

Florida has had some offseason problems unrelated to shark-humping, and lo the many are suspended:

Those players are:

  • WR Antonio Callaway: junior who led Florida in receiving last year with 721 yards; next closest guy under 400.
  • DE Keivonnis Davis: junior backup with about 30 tackles last year.
  • DT Richard Desir-Jones: moved from OL last year and may be a depth contributor.
  • LBs James Houston and Ventrell Miller, DE Jordan Smith, OT Kadeem Telfort: freshmen who probably wouldn't have gotten on the field anyway.

Callaway is kind of a big deal but nobody else was likely to be relevant except maybe Davis.

Comments

1201 S. Main St.

August 14th, 2017 at 9:54 AM ^

Obviously it doesn't hurt Michigan's chances to beat Florida, but I'd much rather just destroy them while they won't have any built in excuses.  I can already picture SEC slappies at ESPN if Florida is having a great year after a loss to Michigan spewing out "Sure they belong in the playoff, that one loss was the first game of the season and they ahd a bunch of kids suspended, they are a different team now, yada yada yada".  I just hope the score is so lopsided that the loss won't be able to be debated by anyone for any reason.

Joined: 10/09/2015

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stephenrjking

August 13th, 2017 at 5:26 PM ^

This is getting bandied about here, but there's still no evidence for it. How long is "a while back?" Was it before these true freshmen enrolled? Because if they are true freshmen they haven't been on campus for all that long. What is the evidence that Florida was trying to conceal this?

Joined: 03/15/2012

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Big Boutros

August 13th, 2017 at 5:40 PM ^

You keep asking for this -- go to any of the Florida boards that are reporting on the story. Gator Chatter, Gator Bait, Alligator Alley, Swamp Gas, etc. Every single one of them has a DOTMAN-style poster who A) broke the story and then B) said that McElwain is furious about the leak. It's not just some Michigan fabrication. 

Joined: 07/08/2008

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Farnn

August 13th, 2017 at 5:59 PM ^

Considering that Florida made no mention of this or any pending suspensions until after this story got out seems to imply there was no plan to suspend the players. So I'd imagine he's pissed about the leak because it forced his hand, not just because information got out.

The stakes are very different in this game for McElwain than they are for Harbaugh.  Michigan fans know it's a rebuilding year.  Florida fans aren't happy with the recruiting trend under McElwain or the bad offense and are getting frustrated with him.  Their losses weren't close last year and they are tired of being embarrassed by good teams.  So I'd imagine he feels this is a must win or he will feel his seat heating up.

Joined: 07/07/2008

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stephenrjking

August 13th, 2017 at 6:03 PM ^

That's a specious argument. Schools don't pre-announce suspensions. It is true, however, that it is a high pressure year for McElwain. Which might suggest an alternate, more plausible explanation---McElwain didn't want word out because he didn't want Michigan to be able to anticipate Callaway's absence in the game plan. After all, our coaches have done that.

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143524

Mr Miggle

August 14th, 2017 at 7:07 AM ^

Schools do pre-announce suspensions, whetever that means. Florida just did so.

There was speculation earlier in the summer that Calloway would be suspended for his legal issue in May. McIlwein could have kept Michigan's coaches in the dark about his presence in the game, but chose to announce he would not be suspended.

Which leads to another obvious point, that schools don't have to announce right away whether players are suspended when the infractions are public knowledge. That's up to them. They can keep the opposition guessing and sometimes do. 

I find it extremely difficult to give McIlwein and Florida the benefit of the doubt here. It sure looks like they never wanted this story to get out. Perhaps there was going to be a game day announcement that the players were suspended, 'for violation of team rules'. I'm being charitable here. There's no way they would want that story to come out then and have to deal with the fallout from concealing it.

A last point that I find particularly appalling about their actions - why is Calloway getting the same suspension as freshmen who had just arrived on campus? He was in trouble last season, was just cited under concerning circumstances in May. Two other players who were cited for marijuana possession were suspended for a game. He's getting special treatment because he's a star player. There's no way around that.

Joined: 10/07/2010

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NFG

August 13th, 2017 at 5:05 PM ^

Finebaum is crying in the fetal position somewhere. FTR, I'm all about this. I want to win, and if this helps us, so be it. I paid my dues cheering for this program under RR and Hoke.

Joined: 04/24/2012

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Les Miles

August 13th, 2017 at 5:13 PM ^

I don't feel like creating a thread to ask a dumb question but has anyone heard anything about J'marick woods? He seemed to garnish a lot of spring hype but mention of him was noticeably absent from Harbaugh's last press conference and in his last update on TTB umbig11 said not to hold our breath to see much of him.

Joined: 03/27/2010

MGoPoints: 1671

bacon

August 13th, 2017 at 10:20 PM ^

Thanks to SEC rules, they can suspend these 7 players for the Michigan game and use those 7 spots for 7 other players they oversigned last fall. After that game, those players are then ineligible for the year and have to great shirt (an obscure position that involves the player in question dressing like a mini great white shark and lying in a boat). The NCAA allows this because it occurs at SEC speed.

Joined: 01/04/2009

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stephenrjking

August 13th, 2017 at 5:31 PM ^

Honestly the "7 players suspended" headlines make this seem like a way bigger deal than it is. Callaway is a biggie, of course, but if he was the only one suspended it doesn't get near the attention, despite the actual on-field impact being nearly identical. It will, however, increase pressure (at least outside pressure) to win. The Finebaum types will be talking about Florida missing 7 players as if they were all starters.

Joined: 03/15/2012

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LKLIII

August 13th, 2017 at 5:39 PM ^

Depth is hurt as well. If one of their starting DL goes down with an injury, it could be an issue.

Plus this pretty much matches up exactly with our two key weaknesses: defensive backfield & our OL.

Normally I feel bad for a team when their players can't play. But that's due to injuries, not being idiots off the field.

I'll take my advantages where I can get them. Screw what Finebaum has to say. Nobody will remember at the end of the season who was injured or not--only the final score.

Joined: 11/06/2013

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1VaBlue1

August 13th, 2017 at 5:54 PM ^

Nobody will remember?  Really?  Because PSU, and everyone that mentions it, reminds us that they were missing thier defense in Ann Arbor last season.  Not that having an entirely healthy defense would have done them any good, anyway...  Thier healthy defense made Wisconsin's offense look like a juggernaut...

Joined: 01/31/2016

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lhglrkwg

August 13th, 2017 at 9:49 PM ^

Who was injured or suspended in the 2013 Iron Bowl?.......No one remembers outside of the most devout Bama and Auburn fans. Everyone else just remembers the Kick Six. 

I just want to win. If half of Florida's team is suspended, good. I don't care. A win is a win and that's the recordbooks will show.

Joined: 07/03/2008

MGoPoints: 87883

WolverineHistorian

August 13th, 2017 at 5:57 PM ^

The Finebaum types have already concluded that Harbaugh has been a massive failure in Ann Arbor who can't win big games. Their mentality was always going to be that if Michigan lost to Florida, it would be counted as a loss against a quality opponent. And if we beat Florida, then the Gators will NOT be considered a quality opponent. Fuck them. I really like that we always beat Florida when we play them. I would enjoy another win against them regardless of the setup.

Joined: 08/10/2009

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maize-blue

August 13th, 2017 at 5:34 PM ^

They must have been really obviously guilty for an SEC team to do this. Good for them though to actually levy punishment.

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