JANORIS JENKINS IS GONE

GATOR GRIDIRON
ROGER FRANKLIN WILLIAMS


Less that 72 hours after All-SEC CB Janoris Jenkins second arrest for marijuana possesion in 3 months Coach Will Muschamp weighed in with his response. Janoris Jenkins is no longer a Gator.

On Tuesday Coach Muschamp posted the following statement on twitter; "After meeting with Janoris Jenkins today, we both felt it was in his best interest to move ahead to the next stage of his career. We appreciate Janoris' contributions to the University of Florida during his time here and wish him the best of luck."

Jenkins arrest last Saturday came in the wake of the news that two other Gator football players were arrested for marijuana possession in early 2011 AND a report from Pro Football Weekly that former UF OL Maurice Hurt tested positive for marijuana at the NFL combine this year. If the PFW report is true, that gives the University of Florida an embarassing trifecta---for the last 3 years in a row UF, reportedly, has had a former player test positive for pot at the combine (reportedly Percy Harvin '09, Aaron Hernandez in '10 and Hurt in '11). (With Janoris projected as a possible 1st round pick for 2012, the Gators have a chance to extend this dubious achievement a record 4 years in a row.)

It is regretful that a great player who was a key member of a National Championship and back to back 13 win seasons has to end his career as a Gator in such an ignominous way. Janoris, however, left Coach Muschamp no other choice. Jenkins was arrested in January, just weeks into Muschamp's new regime. By willfully engaging in the same illegal behavior in the same part of town less than 3  months later Jenkins obviously was sending a message that he didn't take his new Head Coach seriously.

Now, we suspect, the other Gators, most of whom CWM inherited from the Urban Meyer/Steve Addazio regime, will take the new HC a little more seriously. If he'll bounce a Senior, All-SEC, potential 1st Round NFL draft choice out of the program for a little pot smoking, what will he do to the next guy who breaks the law?

There is one other significant footnote to this story that is either tragic or hilarious depending on your perspective. As we know, the NFL is currently engaged in negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement. One aspect of the potential new agreement is that the pay scale for rookie draft choices could be significantly reduced, significantly as in millions of dollars. Coupled with the fact that this kind of career "turbulance" is not exactly conducive to raising a players draft stock, the "marijuana cigar" that Janoris so proudly lit up, allegedly, in downtown Gainesville last Saturday could end up costing the youngster from Pahokee several million dollars.

Upon reflection, this difficult decision by the Gators young, new Head Coach just might work out best for all involved---Coach Muschamp and his staff can continue to move forward in building the foundation for the new culture of the Gator program and Janoris is now free to take his bong and blunts to Valdosta St or Bethune Cookman to play a little football while blissfully enjoying his true passion in life.

TIME TO DISCIPLINE JANORIS, REGRETFULLY

GATOR GRIDIRON
ROGER FRANKLIN WILLIAMS

In case you missed it, Cornerback Janoris Jenkins was arrested over the weekend and charged with possession of marijuana....for the second time in the last 3 months. While close observers have commented that Gator players have taken to Coach Will Muschamp and his new staff, Janoris, apparantly,  has taken his celebrating to a whole new level.

Ironically, Jenkins first arrest came just days before the launch of the then-fledgeling (now highly acclaimed, of course) Gator Gridiron blog. In an early post Gator Gridiron (misguidedly) urged the new HC to resist the urge to, as we termed it, "overreact" by responding to Media-types and other Gator Haters who were calling for draconian penalties for the talented rising Sr CB. In other words we urged Coach WM to go easy on Janoris.

Obviously, the "velvet glove" approach did not work with Janoris Jenkins.

After being arrested, reportedly, for rolling a "joint" in the mens room of a downtown Gainesville nightclub in January, Jenkins on Saturday was arrested after he, reportedly, attracted the attention of a Gainesville Police officer while smoking a "marijuana cigar" in a parked car....on Main Street, no less. Is it just me, but does Janoris seem to be flaunting his drug use/law breaking?

Now it is time, regretfully, for significant....no, not significant....harsh discipline. While marijuana use among college students is certainly not an earth shattering situation, it is against the law. Not to mention the fact that recreational drug use in no way helps prepare one to achieve peak performance on the football field. It's not a great example of leadership or respect, either.

As a Senior and argueably the best returing veteran player, in fact, one of the last remaining starters from the '08 National Championship team, if not the only one, Jenkins is---or was---in a position to provide leadership for a Gator program that sorely needs leadership during this period of turbulance and transition.

 Needless to say, leadership is the last thing on Janoris Jenkins mind. Jenkins has no desire to serve as a leader for his younger teammates, to ease the challenges facing first time Head Coach Will Muschamp, or to even demonstrate respect for his new HC.........But he will take another toke.....

Time for CWM to forget the original advice of Gator Gridiron. Throw away our ill-advised "velvet glove", Coach.

Six game suspension....and if Janoris Jenkins is arrested or caught with illegal drugs again, expell him from the program. NFL prospect or no-NFL prospect.