Muschamp dismisses Gators CB Jenkins

By Adam Silverstein
April 26, 2011

Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp has decided to dismiss senior cornerback Janoris Jenkins from the team following a third arrest in less than 23 months.

“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,” Muschamp said in an official statement released by the school on Tuesday. “We appreciate Janoris’ contributions to the University of Florida during his time here and wish him the best of luck.”

Jenkins is facing legal issues stemming from a second arrest for possession of marijuana in less than 90 days. He was first cited on Jan. 23 when an officer spotted him rolling a joint in a nightclub bathroom. After appearing in court, he was ordered to pay $316 in court fees and had adjudication withheld. Jenkins was caught smoking a marijuana “cigar” in his car in a parking lot on Saturday morning. He was issued a notice to appear in court on May 12 for possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.

He originally decided to return for his senior season and forgo a likely first-round selection in the 2011 NFL Draft after undergoing shoulder surgery in the offseason. Jenkins’s future plans are currently unknown.

Slated to start for the Gators in the fall, his dismissal leaves another open spot on a young Florida defense. Redshirt junior Jeremy Brown and sophomore Cody Riggs will likely be the Gators’ starting cornerbacks when the season begins on Sept. 3.

Photo Credit: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

55 Comments

  1. Brett says:

    As sad as this is for Janoris his future was in his hands and he made the choice to do this again. It seems like a big loss for the gators and it is on the field next year. But this will pay dividends in the future. He was easily the best player on the team and this is a major wake up call to players. This might help in recruiting to showing families Muschamp wants to do things the right way.

  2. cline says:

    Way to go coach! The team needs to see that this will not be tolerated

  3. C3 says:

    don’t agree with the decision, at all, but the message was certainly sent loud and clear, if he’ll dismiss JJ, he’ll dismiss anyone. I hope this wasn’t influenced by the media though, as ESPN certainly got what they wanted.

    • Marc Mac says:

      C3, while I respect your opinion to disagree with the dismissal, how can you be so certain? Ja Jenks was arrested 3 times. Twice for the same shit, once while on probation (I may be wrong here). Whatever the case is, he has no respect for Muschamp or the team.

  4. Marc Mac says:

    Good for Muschamp. Sucks that he was put in such a compromising position by his star player right off the bat. I think he handled it correctly. After all, Ja Jenks swung hard at his 3 strikes.

  5. JJ says:

    I’m glad muschamp decided to boot him. Jenkins is one hell of a player, but his own selfishness put his team, coaches, fans, and everything the University of Florida stands for at risk. GL Jenkins and thank you for being awesome on the field for three years. Wish you could have been the same off the field.

  6. Luke says:

    Was fun to watch you play, Janoris; I’d hoped you’d be the anchor and leader on defense we needed, but entitlement and arrogance are not good characteristics to have as a leader. You’ll bounce back and will do well somewhere/sometime and we wish you the best. Thanks for your contributions to the Gator Nation, but I also think you owe us an apology for your indiscretions…

  7. Dr. Man Meat says:

    Impressive he can roll a joint in a nightclub bathroom. I usually need a clean table, complete silence and total concentration!

  8. Fernzpat says:

    Prob not going to be a NC year for us anyway, so just a chance for younger CBs to get experience (I am a silver-lining kind of guy)…

    I guess he enters supplemental draft then? 5th rounder sound right?

  9. Andrew says:

    Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb… What a waste.

  10. Bob says:

    Good riddance. It’s not the “crime” I have a problem with, it’s the serial stupidity and brazen arrogance to do this in public where you *might* get caught.

    This is a loss on the football field but a win for the program overall IMO. And Jenkins will get another shot immediately whether in D1-AA or in any kind of supplemental NFL draft.

    Just a shame….

  11. David says:

    I hate to see JJ go, but this had to be done. This is not a one year program, and I doubt JJ is the difference between us winning the SEC or not. Regardless, you get arrested 3 times, you need to go. He disrespected Muschamp, the Gator Football team, the University of Florida, and the rule of law. Smoking pot is not a big deal for most of us, but when you are in the spotlight, you have to refrain from doing certain things or be more careful about them. He was stupid. He was made an example of. Good for Muschamp, the Gators, and UF. Now, hopefully Chris Martin, Kedric Johnson, etc … are paying attention.

  12. JW says:

    I think a suspension of 3-4 games would have been appropriate but I don’t have a problem with Muschamp dismissing him either. All of the arrests the past few years have been an embarrassment for an otherwise great program. At some point, someone had to be the sacrificial lamb and Janoris isn’t the most sympathetic lamb.

  13. SaraGator says:

    Janoris reminds me of Afroman’s song, “I was going to go to school… but I got high…. I was going to go first round, but I got high…”

    Good for Coach Boom for laying down the law! He stated in his press conference that he expects his boys to do things the right way, the Florida way. It sounds like he means it.

  14. SB says:

    I doubt Muschamp walked into that meeting knowing Jenkins was gone. I’d guess options were discussed including drug testing enrollment and suspension, etc and the two parties couldn’t come to a mutual agreement on how to handle punishment and plan going-forward.

    • g8ter27 says:

      I agree with you SB. I bet he walked into that meeting with the same arrogance and disrespect he has shown the team in the past year and coach really didn’t have much a a choice. Thought he was smarter than Will Hill, guess not.

  15. npgator says:

    We were looking at 8 wins max next year but now I would say 6 and 6 is very reasonable.

    • Andrew says:

      No way we’re worse than last year. The D will be better. The O can’t get any worse. We’ll be ok w/o JJ.

    • David says:

      I think you are nuts to think we’ll only win 6-8 games. I still give us winning at least 9 regular season games. Our defense is going to be ridiculous if everyone can stay healthy. Weis is a an amazing offensive coach …. even look at ND’s increase in offensive production his first year.

    • Reimlaw says:

      “Glass is half empty” kind of guy, huh?

    • Alex says:

      You’re right, one college corner is going to ruin the season. We’re going to lose all of our games by forfeit, still receive a bowl bid and then get crushed by East Carolina. Then we will cancel our football program altogether and the University of Florida will close its doors for good.

      /sarcasm

      You think we’re only going to win 2 or 3 SEC games? Tennessee, Kentucky, Auburn, Georgia, Vanderbilt and USC are all winnable conference games. You think we can’t shut down lame-o EJ Manuel against FSU at home? All four of our non-con games are winnable, with 3 being easy wins (unless Howard Schnellenberger suits up in the opener).

      That math sounds like 8-9 wins to me, in the regular season. With a young team and a light roster (74 scholarship players this year) the present looks tolerable and the future is bright.

  16. Aligator says:

    thank god someone else will return punts ….

  17. npgator says:

    No offensive line doesn’t make for good seasons.

  18. atlgator says:

    ya mon….can you say vernon maxwell? Public bathroom, car? Join a frat and get a room for gods sake.

  19. jay d says:

    Finnally a coach who isn’t afriad to do the right thing…I know his main focus should be winning football games…but he needed to show the team that this rockstar mentality must go and will not be tolerated…

  20. ncgator says:

    Once again, Mr2[B]its pontifications that the coaching staff will NOT get rid of Jenkins and that at most a 2-3 game suspension is all that will happen was completely wrong!!!! So much for your prognostications.
    The whole college football world was watching this situation and Muschamp had no choice. He had to stand behind his past statements about the integrity of the program and make a point with Jenkins.
    Good for you coach!!!

    • jay d says:

      [Edited for profanity and inappropriateness]

      • Marc Mac says:

        like

      • Mr2Bits says:

        I’m glad to see the both of you feel the need to make a point by profanely and personally attacking me and my name. I believe I am entitled to my opinion and what I think should have happened and can disagree. As is the case with many things, the people in charge have more information or different point of views and can make decisions that differ than mine. Aside from that, I hope you don’t treat or speak to people you know like this as your character and respect for others is no better than Jenkins.

        Adam,
        Your site and all but I am a little disappointed that you are now allowing profanity and personal attacks to run through the comments section. People coming on here just to attack and insult others makes this no better than other open sourced sites like ESPN where people just try to pick fights. I truly hope this was an oversight and profanity will be moderated a bit more as I know many families who come here for Gator news and updates and will be turned off by language used above. Don’t take this wrong as I’m no saint but just felt a little disappointed.

        • Mr2Bits- Perhaps you do not follow me on Twitter or have not seen the number of comments sent in for this topic, but in between reporting the news, following up on it, posting the story about Hurt, having to approve 50 comments and driving to Broward to interview Muschamp at the Gator Gathering, don’t you think the chances are that one comment just fell through the cracks? I missed it. You know I don’t allow personal attacks (notably when profane) on my comments section. Rather than say you are “disappointed” in me, you could have just sent me an e-mail to alert me to the issue.

          I’ve edited the offending comment, though I only saw one. So if there is something else I missed, please send me an e-mail so I can find it in the pages and pages of comments I have to comb through. Thanks.

  21. scooterp says:

    The punishment fit the crime. As much as it hurts – it was necessary. The whole world was watching to see how this would be handled. Muschamp had no choice – and it was JJ who put himself in this position. Don’t blame the coach.

  22. Gatorbuc15 says:

    I fully support Muschamp’s decision. You can’t let guys break the law and get off scot free. This should send a message to the younger players that this shit will no longer be tolerated.

  23. jay says:

    while i am disappointed in jenkins i must say being a fomer football player not at florida but a a school in tn..this type of stuff goes on all the time in EVERY PROGRAM.. does smoking make them a bad person , no it means they just didnt make a decision wisely. hopefully he learns to make better choices but jenkins still gone ball next yr ..he can alqway enter the supplement draft

  24. John S says:

    I have to say that I think this decision was stupid. Setting the bar high sounds great until most of your team doesn’t measure up, and we’re left with teams like the U have produced the last 5 years. ESPN and SI don’t run our program, they just think they do. He smoked weed in small amounts unfortunately in public places. If he was a regular student he would not have been expelled, so why punish him more just because he’s an athlete.

    Coach Boom needs to learn that he coaches in Gainesville, with UPD and GPD there will be more “arrests” or what other places called citations in the future. Shut down corners do not grow on trees. Unless he’s a threat to others you don’t kick him off the team. No other school kicks kids out of school for MJ possession charges.

    We just kicked the best player off our team for doing something nearly 40% or more of the student body does on a regular basis. Yay us, we’re so disciplined. Now our whole team can suffer next year. We sure showed him. I bet Staples will start writing wonderful things about our program now…right.

    • Tractorr says:

      JJ was not kicked off the team simply because of this one arrest he was kicked off the team for 3 arrests in one year. I agree that marijuana should be legalized but the fact of the matter is possession is a crime at this time. If you think that maintaining discipline in a group of about 90 18-22 year old men who are attempting to achieve a goal as a team isn’t important you are crazy.

    • ncgator says:

      John; How do you know how much weed he smoked? If he was a regular student nobody would give a shit….but he’s not! He’s a full scholarship athlete that, like it or not, has to abide by rules regular students don’t. He didn’t get booted because he got caught smoking a little weed, he got booted because he’s been arrested 3-times. I don’t give a crap if he was smoking weed, stealing yoyo’s or pissing in public. He got ARRESTED 3 times for something illegal. Big difference between a citation and an arrest.
      As far as being the best athlete on the team….bullshit! He’s a mediocre corner that got his ass smoked on numerous occasions last year. This team won’t miss a beat without him and your advice for Muschamp is as idiotic as the rest of your post.

      • Bonelldonnell says:

        Agreed, but this was more than just about JJ. Foley knows how to play the PR game as well as anyone. We sent a strong message by dismissing the three-time offender, in order to hold onto Martin and Johnson in football, and more importantly, Murphy, and, maybe even Larson in hoops.

        We’re not likely to be challenging for a football NC next season, but hoops is a possibility. We have one season with Young and Beal, two players predicted to go 6th and 7th in the 2012 NBA draft. If we lose the only other PF/C types besides Young, however, we’ll be wasting a great opportunity to challenge for the title.

    • scooterp says:

      I’m glad most Gator fans don’t feel the same way you do. You may be ok with the jokes and the redicule that has come with this reputaion we’ve gotten in recent years (which is deserved), but it sounds like most of gator nation is fed up with it. Why does’nt Bama have a drug problem with their players? or 30+ arrests? …… I’ll tell you why – because Saban doesn’t put up with that shit, and the players know it. You can have a winning program, dripping with talent and still have discipline.
      And what does ESPN and SI have to do with it? I don’t think Muschamp really gives a rats ass what Low, Staples or Forde think about how it should be handled. We were well on our way to becoming a full blown “U” situation and you want to use the “our local police dept. is too strict” card ? If you want to blame anybody, blame the idiot who got arrested twice for the same thing inside of three months.

    • DCgator says:

      This. Coach f-ed up on this one IMO.

  25. gatorlover says:

    i agree with john s…..i live in knoxville tennessee… i go out the the clubs here every weekend. it is nothing for me to see the athletes from UT in there smoking blunts. it happens everywhere.

    • chigator says:

      Somehow that makes it okay? It really does suck to rid the team of such a good player but if you don’t hold the players accountable for their actions then the whole operation comes into question. Usually in life, the biggest decisions are usually the hardest ones to make. Personally, I am glad that Muschamp is holding these athletes (who are getting a free education) accountable. If we win with a bunch of criminals and academic failures then all of our accomplishments are diminished.

  26. Deuce-Five says:

    All of you all saying kicking him off the team was too much and now we are gonna suck and all that crap need to really wake up he was probably gonna get 2-3 games from the last time then to get caught again that’s total disrespect and he wasn’t the the whole defense he doesn’t make every tackle on every play cover every receiver and pick off every pass he’ll be missed but that’s about it him going in the supplemental draft I don’t think anyone would touch him he’s like insuring someone with multiple at fault wrecks right now

  27. Matt says:

    There’s no doubt he should’ve been booted for this third offense. What a waste of talent, though. He was a really good player and had a bright future, but chose drugs over success. Who in their right mind ever chooses drugs over stardom? Right, you aren’t in your right mind if you do that. It just means he doesn’t have his priorities straight. I do hope we continue our winning traditions at UF, but also have far less arrests from the football players.

    • Tractorr says:

      Um, I am pretty sure he did not chose drugs over success. He is still going to be drafted in the supplementary draft and will probably make tons of money as a backup somewhere.

      • Gatorgrad79 says:

        Tractorr,

        Your point is well made – JJ didn’t choose drugs OVER success, he thinks he can have both. Unfortunately, there is a long trail of tears in the NFL, NBA, and MLB of players who thought the same, and were stars that flashed and burned out in only a few years, due to a long string of bad choices. Here’s hoping JJ avoids that, but he will need to get over the air of entitlement which appears to be that he can do anything he wants and get by with it.

        • Tractorr says:

          I absolutely agree but as you say it is a long string of bad choices. There are also tons of pro players who smoke weed and have done pretty well just ask Jason Williams. My point is smoking weed alone is not going to ruin a career just like occasional drinking will not. Becoming an alcoholic on the other hand will ruin someones career as will becoming a complete stoner.

  28. John S says:

    I hear what you all are saying, and I hope your right and that this makes a difference with the other players. Unfortunately if you’ve kept track of Gator athletics you know that Meyer kicked kids off the team left and right in his first couple years (including Marcus Thomas in nearly identical circumstances) and yet the same results kept happening. You’re just assuming it won’t this time.

    Meyer did himself a disservice by setting the bar and then failing to live up to it. Gainesville is different than other college towns.

    Some of you are really drinking Saban coolaid if you think his kids don’t get in trouble. Saban owns Tuscaloosa. A group of class acts they are not. They just discipline in house. Minor problem happens and the kid gets drop off at the assistant coaches house instead of downtown, very common outside of Gainesville.

    Our arrest record stinks but its in line with LSU, Georgia, Ohio State, and USC. The media just made a bigger deal out of it Gainesville because of our success and Meyer’s less than great rep with the media.

    Again I hope you’re right, but I don’t think you are. I don’t think it’s possible in Gainesville.

  29. Nick says:

    Everyone should pray that Cody Riggs ends up starting the season at CB, instead of Moses”toast” Jenkins.

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