Safety Dowling kicked off Florida football team

By Adam Silverstein
November 1, 2010

During his weekly Monday afternoon press conference, Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer announced that freshman safety Jonathan Dowling is no longer a member of the football program due to a violation of team rules.

Rated as a five-star athlete coming out of high school by ESPNU, Dowling was also listed as the best at his position and the No. 10 recruit in the country last year. Rivals and Scout each considered him a four-star prospect and one of the top safeties in the nation.

Dowling is the third player from Florida’s highly touted freshman class to leave the program. Safety Jordan Haden and wide receiver Adrian Coxson transferred in Aug.

Unlike other dismissals, Meyer noted that Dowling is “done” with the team and will not be returning to the program. He refused to comment further.

OGGOA will update this story as more information is made available.

Photo Credit: Davide De Pas

24 Comments

  1. TheBrave8842 says:

    Wow. It’s got to be more than just stealing a wallet from the locker room.

  2. npgator says:

    He obviously wasn’t as good as advertised since he didn’t crack playing time whatsoever.

  3. GatorKen says:

    Wow, for Meyer to slam the door and deadbolt it like this, Dowling must have done something serious. Gator Bait!

  4. Gatorbuc15 says:

    Damn really, what the hell did he do?

  5. Joey Rizk says:

    Is this another one of the permanent Rainey suspensions? Urban is an embarrassment to the University.

  6. GATORNATIONSPRESIDENT says:

    WOW!!!! I had the the highest hopes for this kid more than any other player in our stellar freshman class. I watched him in the Under Armor game and he flat out dominated….this is shocking. He never played though so I guess it isn’t the biggest blow in the world but it still is huge

  7. john s says:

    Damn…looked like a stud. I guess this stuff happens.

    Hopefully it wasn’t something real ugly.

  8. GATORNATIONSPRESIDENT says:

    If bringing 2 championships within 4 years to the University is an embarrassment, then I want to be the biggest embarrassment this world has ever seen!

  9. Mr2Bits says:

    Hope this doesn’t turn into Cam Newton 2.0 later down the road

  10. Timmy T says:

    JOEY, at no time was Rainey’s suspension described anything other than “indefinite”.

  11. Gatorman says:

    Joey is a troller for sure

  12. Josh says:

    So Dowling stole a wallet out of the locker room?

  13. SacramentoGator says:

    Jamar Horsnby II? Why can’t these knuckleheads just try to do the right thing and be successful in life like most of the gators?

  14. Luke says:

    It’s never a good thing for a “kid” to get axed from any program, but hopefully he grows from it and gets an education somewhere and maybe for him, he can be Cam Newton 2.0. Oh well, life moves on and hopefully we win out in the SEC and beat FSU!

  15. gator347 says:

    Joey:

    And I guess you’re like the Media who wants to hang Urban for having thugs and then wants a former thug (Cam) to win the Heisman?

    And Rainey should have never even been arrested. The only reason it was a big deal was because he played for Florida. The women never felt threatened & he has never been violent.

  16. Dowling :( says:

    We can’t afford to keep losing so many 5 & 4 stars to transfers and arrest! Grrrrrr

  17. TheBrave8842 says:

    @ Josh

    I have no idea what he did. I just said it must be bigger than something simple like petty theft. The crime must be serious and his guilt must be unquestionable to warrent eternal banishment from the team.

  18. joey rizk says:

    Wow. Threatening to kill someone is no big deal. Tell me again why he was suspended? Just how long is Urban going to be allowed to turn Florida into a renegade program ala Florida State part 2. Some of you need to learn that Football is not bigger than the University.

  19. brlgator says:

    I suspect a double violation by dowling. He played in two games this year and then didnt dress for the last three games. He probably messed up badly urban put him on probation and then he messed up again so he got the real boot.

  20. Cory says:

    Apparently he’s not been attending class, and him and Meyer have gotten into it when Meyer brings up his classroom attendance. Don’t know much more than this at the moment.

  21. Drew 4 Orange & Blue says:

    Sounds like it was an attitude problem and if so it’s the right decision…if you make a mistake even if it’s huge like Rainey’s but are remorseful and vow to change you give a kid a second chance….I think the ranking part is a bit over blown…..a majority of Meyer’s recruits are 4 & 5 Stars so when kids transfer or get kicked off which happens at every program there is a good chance they will have been a highly ranked recruit coming out of HS

  22. namecie2 says:

    I heard that he signed his name to another student’s paper and tried to pass it off as his own work. Plagerism.

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