Nearly two months after finding himself on the receiving end of Will Muschamp‘s first-year boot, former Florida defensive back Janoris Jenkins has found himself a new football home.
And, as expected, he’ll be playing for a Bowden during his final season of collegiate eligibility.
North Alabama head coach Terry Bowden confirmed to ESPN.com that the cornerback has signed a scholarship with the Div. II school and will play for the Lions in 2011. According to his new coach, Jenkins, who was arrested on three occasions during his time in Gainesville, was vetted thoroughly before being allowed to join the team, although the fact that the fledgling program was adding an All-SEC corner didn’t hurt either.
“I talked to everybody that I could possibly talk to at Florida, who had a relationship with him,” Bowden said. “From Urban Meyer to Will Muschamp to Jeremy Foley, they all said he is a guy who made a mistake. But it does not represent his character or his time at Florida. They all thought he deserved a second chance.”
Or fourth chance, as the case may be.
Jenkins had been arrested twice this year, with both charges related to marijuana. In May of 2009, Jenkins was charged with resisting arrest without violence — after being on the wrong end of a taser.
After hitting the handcuff trifecta, Jenkins was dismissed from the Gators by Muschamp.