DB John Huggins dismissed from the Gators program
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- After a few weeks of uncertainty, a source tells Gators Territory that John Huggins is no longer part of the program - confirming Orlando Sentinel's Edgar Thompson initial report.
GT's source did not reveal the reason for the dismissal.
Huggins' future has been unclear this summer. The sophomore missed all of fall camp for what Gators head coach Dan Mullen called a "family situation."
Huggins was linked to an investigation back in October, where he was accused of choking a female tutor.
According to University of Florida Police records, Huggins is alleged to have put his hands around the tutor's neck. The report says the complainant did not press charges.
On Tuesday, Mullen told the media that the reason for Huggins' absence from the team is not related to that incident.
"No (it's not related)," he said. "No, that's all been handled."
A 19-year old female student told police that Huggins put his hands around her neck during a tutoring session. In the report, it alleges that he told the tutor that he was going to retrieve his jacket and would return after. The complainant told UFPD that Huggins would often leave tutoring sessions early, so she decided to keep his phone to make sure he came back.
However, according to the report, Huggins allegedly placed both of his hands around her neck when she told him she was going to keep the phone until he returned; she then tells UFPD that she told Huggins he can have the phone and he then left. He reportedly did return after picking up his jacket and acted like nothing happened. The report goes on to say he left five minutes later. The woman told her supervisor who in turn called police.
The complainant told officers she had red marks on her neck but by the time the officers arrived they were gone.
Huggins missed five games after the incident.
"That was part of it. I don’t know if it was all of it," said Mullen about the reason why Huggins missed those games. "I mean, he was a true freshman, so he only was going to be play in some games anyway for us and with depth. But his punishment was handled when all that happened.”
Huggins is the fourth player to be linked to violence against women during the offseason. All four players are no longer with the program.
"Obviously I’m a big anti-violence against women person," Mullen told reporters back on Tuesday. "I’m also a person that I really want to have all of the information as I make decisions and what happens in different situations That's one of the toughest deals, because it's a jump to conclusion on every detail that happens sometimes.
"Everybody wants to see ‘what are we doing’ instantly. And we try to gather the facts. We spend a lot of time in educating our guys," he added. "Everything gets back to decision making, how can I make good decision in life. If they are learning how to make good decision and how to put yourself in good situations, that’s how we spend all our time educating our guys on those things - and trying to educate the team as a whole."
Gators Territory is still following this developing story.
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