After transferring from Florida to Miami, Gerald Willis was forced to sit out the 2015 season. As it turns out, he’ll be forced to sit out the first game of the 2016 season as well.
Reportedly.
According to Matt Porter of the Palm Beach Post, Willis will be suspended for the Hurricanes opener next week. The only reason given was violations of unspecified team rules.
The U, opens the 2016 season Sept. 3 against FCS Florida A&M, has yet to publicly address Willis’ status for the opener.
Willis left the Gators in January of 2015. A month later, he landed with the Hurricanes. He subsequently claimed he was actually dismissed by UF head coach Jim McElwain and was seeking what was described as a “run-off waiver” that would’ve given him immediate eligibility; that waiver was denied.
Willis was a four-star member of the Gators’ 2014 recruiting class, rated as the No. 6 strongside defensive end in the country. He played in five games as a true freshman last season. Willis’ stay at UF was a brief one as, a couple of months after a verbal disagreement over a pair of cleats escalated into a physical altercation with a teammate, it was announced that Willis was leaving the program.
It was reported over the weekend that a trio of Hurricane starters, wide receiver Stacey Coley, linebacker Jermaine Grace and defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad, could be suspended for 1-3 games in connection to an investigation into their use of luxury vehicles.