Given the boot in Gainesville, John Huggins is officially on the hunt for a new college football home.
One of five members of the Florida football program, including four players, accused of violence against women since Dan Mullen took over following the 2017 regular season, Huggins was dismissed by the Gators after allegations surfaced that he choked a 19-year-old female student who had confiscated his cell phone prior to a tutoring session. Just three days later, a UF official has confirmed that the defensive back’s name is now listed in the NCAA transfer database.
Huggins was a three-star member of the Gators’ 2018 recruiting class, rated as the No. 28 safety in the country. He played in the first eight games of his true freshman season before his non-suspension suspension went into effect.
Prior to the off-field issues coming to light, Huggins had been expected to play an expanded role in Florida’s ever-thinning secondary this coming season.
Like Huggins, the other three players accused of violence against women are no longer members of the football program. Two of them -- quarterback Jalon Jones (FCS) and defensive back Brian Edwards (Central Michigan) -- moved on to other schools after entering the portal, while the third, wide receiver Justin Watkins, is still in the portal after leaving UF in late July “to better my opportunities.”