By SHAWN BERMAN
Staff Writer
—
Less than 24 hours after replacing Jeff Driskel and leading the Gators to a crucial comeback victory against Tennessee, freshman quarterback Treon Harris was suspended from all team activities.
Records show that the University of Florida campus police were called at 12:49 a.m. last Sunday to an on-campus apartment building to investigate a sexual battery report.
The University has asked the Gainesville Police Department to assist in collecting possible items for forensic evidence.
“This is a very serious charge,” Gators head coach Will Muschamp told The Associated Press, “I feel very comfortable in how we’ve approached this situation.”
So far, not much is known about the case, and there are still details that are surfacing, but Treon Harris’ attorney, Huntley Johnson, released the following statement:
“Treon is not guilty of any crime and he did not mistreat this young lady in any way. We believe the evidence will show the alleged victim was in fact the sexual aggressor with not one, but two young men early last Sunday morning.”
It is unclear whether Harris’ time at Florida is finished, but you have to applaud how swiftly the University acted, unlike another Florida school that allowed their star quarterback to play under similar circumstances (I’m looking at you, Florida State.)
The Gators need to remain focused, as they are still in a pretty decent position to win the SEC East.
Perhaps the most shocking news of the college football season came last Thursday evening, when Heisman frontrunner Todd Gurley was suspended by the University of Georgia for an alleged violation of NCAA rules.
An investigation has been launched regarding whether or not Gurley was given money for memorabilia and autographs.
It is stated in the NCAA bylaws that student-athletes “cannot accept benefits for the likeliness of his/her name with brokers.”
One source told ESPN’s Darren Rovell that Gurley was seeking anywhere from $8 and $25 a signature, and the autograph authentication company JSA (James Spence Authentication) says they have authenticated more than 500 Gurley signed items, including jerseys, helmets, photos and game-worn attire.
The suspension time for an allegation like this can vary. In 2010, Bulldogs receiver A.J. Green was suspended for four games for selling his Independence Bowl jersey for $1,000.
However, just last year, former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel was also investigated after reports surfaced that he received money for signing autographs. The NCAA eventually reached an agreement with A&M that forced Manziel to sit out just half a game against Rice University, as they could not find any evidence of wrongdoings.
It is rumored that Gurley will be sidelined for the remainder of the season, and if that’s the case, then that will definitely shake up the Heisman race. As of now, Gurley has 773 rushing yards (sixth in FBS) to go along with eight touchdowns and a kick return.
Gurley’s suspension shows that anything can happen in college football. It also keeps the door open for players that are coming off of a bad game, such as University of Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, to play their way back to the top.
Not only does Gurley’s suspension allow Mariota and other players a chance to win voters, but it also allows dark-horse candidates to emerge and garner some spotlight.
One player to be on the lookout for is Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott. The 6’2” dual-threat junior has thrown for nearly 1,300 yards and 13 passing touchdowns. Prescott also has 6 rushing touchdowns.
Although Georgia fans may be in mourning over the Gurley suspension, they still have freshman Nick Chubb in the backfield. Chubb has certainly proved that he can run the ball behind Georgia’s strong offensive line, as he racked up a combined 182 yards on only 16 carries against Clemson, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.
In a school-released statement, head coach Mark Richt said, “I’m obviously disappointed. The important thing for our team is to keep preparing every week.”
