Steele's transfer "a colossal disaster" for Gators: SDS
CHRIS STEELE’S DECISION TO LEAVE FLORIDA TOOK COURAGE, AND IS A COLOSSAL DISASTER FOR THE GATORS
CHRIS STEELE’S DECISION TO LEAVE FLORIDA TOOK COURAGE, AND IS A COLOSSAL DISASTER FOR THE GATORS
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[COLOR=#000000]As if losing Bowman weren’t bad enough, the Gators received even more awful news earlier Thursday when the story broke that Chris Steele,
the crown jewel of Florida’s 2019 recruiting class and one of the most promising players in spring practice, announced he would transfer without
ever playing a down in Gainesville.
Steele entered the transfer portal, citing, according to the Gainesville Sun’s Zach Alboverdi, a dispute with the coaches over a roommate situation,
as the reason. The roommate? Jalon Jones.
Alboverdi reported, and SDS confirmed through multiple sources, including one with the University Police Department,that Steele had concerns
about Jones that predated the early April sexual battery incidents wherein Jones was implicated.
Steele, who is listed in the police reports as a prospective witness on account of living with Jones, expressed concern about Jones’ behaviors to the
Florida coaching staff as early as late January, per SDS sources. According to Alboverdi’s report, Steele asked to be assigned a different roommate,
citing his own concerns about getting into trouble by association. The staff punted on the request, telling Steele they would move him in the summer.
As it turns out, Steele was right, and the summer was too late.
The whole incident infuriated Steele’s family, who encouraged him to come home to California.
If you are Chris Steele or his family, the decision makes sense, both financially and from a common-sense safety standpoint.
From a safety perspective, Steele’s family entrusted Mullen and the coaching staff with their son’s well-being, future and safety. Steele sensed danger
and asked the staff to remove him from what he viewed as the problem. The staff, mystifyingly, declined to act.
From a financial perspective, Steele is a high-level defensive back prospect likely destined for the NFL in 3 seasons. The last thing a player like that
needs is NFL teams asking character questions at draft time simply because his name popped up in a sexual battery investigation. Steele, sensing a
problem, asked to be removed from that danger. It’s difficult to blame Steele for perceiving Florida’s lack of action as a sign that Florida didn’t
necessarily value Steele’s future.
Make no mistake: This is a colossal disaster for Mullen and Florida.
From a football standpoint, Steele was going to play early and often next season. Florida lacks secondary depth, as Georgia exposed last fall, and
Steele showed all spring that he was simply too fast and too good to keep on the sideline for long.
But forget the football piece.
Mullen arrived in Gainesville talking about restoring the “Gator standard,” not only on the field, but off it. Mullen inherited a broken culture in the wake of
a credit card scandal that rocked the roster the year before. Restoring Florida’s credibility off the field mattered and, to parents entrusting coaches with
their children, was critical.
The Steele fiasco is a setback. When Scott Stricklin speaks about “making Florida football fun again,” he’s doubtlessly referencing the Spurrier era,
which had its share of barbs and bravado, but always on a foundation of integrity. Where I come from, that matters.
Maybe that type of cultural rebuild was never in the cards for Mullen, who is, after all, an Urban Meyer protégé. Mullen was instrumental in Florida
winning two national championships under Meyer, to be sure, but was also in Gainesville during a time of substantial off-field discontent, plagued by a
string of off-field incidents and arrests.
The Gator Standard needs to be better than it was under Meyer.
From the looks of it, the Gator Standard needs to look like Chris Steele.
His decision to ask to have his roommate changed took character and it took courage. It’s the type of decision the Gator Standard should be about.
When that was met with procrastination, Steele’s worst fears were confirmed.
Now Steele is gone, and Mullen will pay the price.
Will he learn from [/COLOR]it?
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