Chris Steele's decision to leave Florida took courage, and is a colossal disaster for the Gators
Only a month ago, a year and change into the Dan Mullen rebuild, Florida appeared poised for a return to national relevance. Mullen and his staff surprised the football universe with a 10-win season in his first season in Gainesville, capping the campaign with an emphatic, demon-exorcising New Year’s 6 rout of Michigan in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl. Building off that positive momentum, the Gators quickly put the finishing touches on what was, on paper, the program’s first top 10 recruiting class since the 2014 season.
Less than a month ago, Florida left spring practice feeling terrific about its quarterback situation for the first time in a decade, confident about its defense in its second year under the well-respected Todd Grantham, and flush with the best skill position players the program has had since the Tebow era.
Leaving the spring, the Gators weren’t just a program perceived to be on the rise in their own state or regionally. Florida was receiving national attention, a fixture among sleeper Playoff picks and the darlings of the post-spring national projection pieces. This attention reached its fever pitch in April, as the national media rushed to cover Mullen and the program’s troll-happy bluster toward rival Georgia, the current kings of the SEC East. Even this week, veteran Orlando Sentinel columnist and hot take maestro Mike Bianchi went on the Paul Finebaum Show to explain his column about how Mullen was “quickly turning the tables” on Kirby Smart and Georgia.
That’s heady stuff for a program that spent much of the decade wondering whether it was OK to brag about Outback Bowl wins.
Unfortunately for Mullen and the Gators, momentum in college football can be as fleeting as your last news cycle.
May, to put things gently, has been a wretched month for Florida football.
First, word leaked that 4-star quarterback recruit Jalon Jones had entered the transfer portal after only one spring on campus. Jones, one of the blue-chip members of Florida’s 2019 recruiting class, which ranked 9th nationally in the 247 composite, was implicated, but not charged, in two sexual battery incidents during his brief time on Florida’s campus.
Losing the blue-chip QB in Mullen’s first non-transition year class would be bad enough on its own, but the bad news kept coming.
Days after the Jones story broke, 5-star running back Demarkcus Bowman committed to Clemson over Florida.
Bowman, the top-ranked prospect from Florida, was long considered a Gators lean and would have been the first consensus 5-star recruit to sign with Florida since Cece Jefferson and Martez Ivey in 2015. Making matters worse, Bowman attends Lakeland High, perhaps the most Gator-friendly high school in the United States and a longtime Florida football factory and program pipeline.
Bowman was considered nearly a lock to attend Florida after Lakeland stars Keon Zipperer, Deyavie Hammond and Lloyd Summerall all picked the Gators over a host of suitors, including FSU, Miami and in the cases of Hammond and Zipperer, Alabama.
Instead, Florida was left at the altar, with a crowded running back depth chart and the chance to play quickly for the magnetic Dabo Swinney the difference in Bowman’s recruitment.
Recruiting is the lifeblood of college football.
This shouldn’t be a secret.
If you can’t recruit at an elite level, you’ll never consistently compete for national championships, no matter how well you develop players. We don’t need to theorize this; it’s been proven, meticulously, in column after column.
Even more vitally, you have to protect your own backyard. Recruit well locally is rule No. 1 for championship building fun. When there are 5-star players available at pipeline programs, you can’t lose them. Those are players you count on when filling a class and when you lose them, it hurts not just from a numbers standpoint, but from an optics standpoint. What does that mean? In the age of social media, momentum and optics matter immensely. If a program wants to be a national player, but can’t seal-the-deal in its own backyard, other kids notice.
So do other coaches.
“Why would you go to Florida?” a coach, let’s say one donning red and black, for fun, might say. “They can’t even get Bowman to go there, and everyone from Lakeland goes there.” The narrative becomes self-fulfilling. Kids these days want to go where they can get to the league and win. Losing Bowman is a sign that under Mullen, Florida doesn’t yet inspire that confidence.
As if losing Bowman weren’t bad enough, the Gators received even more awful news earlier Thursday when the story broke that Chris Steele, the crown jewel of Florida’s 2019 recruiting class and one of the most promising players in spring practice, announced he would transfer without ever playing a down in Gainesville.
Steele entered the transfer portal, citing, according to the Gainesville Sun’s Zach Alboverdi, a dispute with the coaches over a roommate situation, as the reason. The roommate? Jalon Jones.
Alboverdi reported, and SDS confirmed through multiple sources, including one with the University Police Department, that Steele had concerns about Jones that predated the early April sexual battery incidents wherein Jones was implicated.
Steele, who is listed in the police reports as a prospective witness on account of living with Jones, expressed concern about Jones’ behaviors to the Florida coaching staff as early as late January, per SDS sources. According to Alboverdi’s report, Steele asked to be assigned a different roommate, citing his own concerns about getting into trouble by association. The staff punted on the request, telling Steele they would move him in the summer.
As it turns out, Steele was right, and the summer was too late.
The whole incident infuriated Steele’s family, who encouraged him to come home to California.
If you are Chris Steele or his family, the decision makes sense, both financially and from a common-sense safety standpoint.
From a safety perspective, Steele’s family entrusted Mullen and the coaching staff with their son’s well-being, future and safety. Steele sensed danger and asked the staff to remove him from what he viewed as the problem. The staff, mystifyingly, declined to act.
From a financial perspective, Steele is a high-level defensive back prospect likely destined for the NFL in 3 seasons. The last thing a player like that needs is NFL teams asking character questions at draft time simply because his name popped up in a sexual battery investigation. Steele, sensing a problem, asked to be removed from that danger. It’s difficult to blame Steele for perceiving Florida’s lack of action as a sign that Florida didn’t necessarily value Steele’s future.
Make no mistake: This is a colossal disaster for Mullen and Florida.
From a football standpoint, Steele was going to play early and often next season. Florida lacks secondary depth, as Georgia exposed last fall, and Steele showed all spring that he was simply too fast and too good to keep on the sideline for long.
But forget the football piece.
Mullen arrived in Gainesville talking about restoring the “Gator standard,” not only on the field, but off it. Mullen inherited a broken culture in the wake of a credit card scandal that rocked the roster the year before. Restoring Florida’s credibility off the field mattered and, to parents entrusting coaches with their children, was critical.
The Steele fiasco is a setback. When Scott Stricklin speaks about “making Florida football fun again,” he’s doubtlessly referencing the Spurrier era, which had its share of barbs and bravado, but always on a foundation of integrity. Where I come from, that matters.
Maybe that type of cultural rebuild was never in the cards for Mullen, who is, after all, an Urban Meyer protégé. Mullen was instrumental in Florida winning two national championships under Meyer, to be sure, but was also in Gainesville during a time of substantial off-field discontent, plagued by a string of off-field incidents and arrests.
The Gator Standard needs to be better than it was under Meyer.
From the looks of it, the Gator Standard needs to look like Chris Steele.
His decision to ask to have his roommate changed took character and it took courage. It’s the type of decision the Gator Standard should be about. When that was met with procrastination, Steele’s worst fears were confirmed.
Now Steele is gone, and Mullen will pay the price.
Will he learn from it?
“Will he learn from it?” Too late. The moron was mouthy from the day he arrived just like so many of the FL players and faithful have been for years. That’s not how it’s done if you look at the elite programs these days. Come on Gator haters, jump on board!
I haven’t heard Mullen say anything about Georgia today. Did I miss his daily quip or has he suddenly gone quiet?
“If you are Chris Steele or his family, the decision makes sense, both financially and from a common-sense safety standpoint.”
What a disaster. Future recruits should take note of this.
Mullen’s mouth is running and so are his signees. Rumors are that more trouble is coming for the Gators.
“I’d think we did a poor job recruiting if guys were coming in and then immediately walking out the door because it was something different than what they thought it would be and we lied to them during recruiting, or we sold them on a dream that wasn’t true.”
— Dan Mullen, future former Florida Gators Head Coach
You’re like a broken record corch. Once or twice is appropriate and even good. It’s a fair statement to bring up considering the situation but every other post along with “dan Mullen has lost control….” is lame.
Dan Mullen has lost control of the Florida Gators.
This is great.
A whole lot of hearsay going on in this article. Do we really believe Steele is the only player to ever ask to be moved cause he didn’t like his roommate? Especially a true freshman a 1000 miles away from home for the first time. Do we really believe it’s uncommon to wait till after the semester to make that move, especially since Spring practice was needing to be planned for and about to start? Give me a break with this hindsight is 20/20 article and stop trying to act like Mullen is fully to blame for this. No one could’ve predicted Jones would commit sexual battery in his apartment and no one knows exactly what was said when Steele asked to be moved. This article is ridiculous.
Steele actually predicted Jones would get himself in trouble
Respectfully, Joe, This article doesn’t have “hearsay.” It is well-sourced as to what Steele’s concerns with Jones were and well-sourced as to what the reaction from the staff was. I think Mullen is a good guy and a great developer of players, but if a kid asks you to change roommates because he has a character concern, you do it. You deal with the ramifications of the fact it may happen frequently because you put player concerns first. The article isn’t “ridiculous”, and if it were any coach but Mullen, you’d likely agree with it.I appreciate your comments on most my writing- agree or disagree- but this one misses the mark.
Well put
So you’re saying it’s well sourced as to exactly what was said to Mullen in that office when Steele requested the move and he knew full well how dire the situation was and still pushed it off? That’s the part I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around. If that’s the case then I stand corrected. It’s not really far fetched to assume Mullen has had other requests like this where players weren’t comfortable with their roommates and he didn’t think it was that dire and decided it could wait and it blew up on him.
No matter how Dan handled it, the optics are terrible and perception is reality. This could be a kid that had concerns, voiced them and Dan had a plan to fix it after the semester. The problem is that Jalen Jones is now a toxic athlete and Steele has do do whatever he can to clear himself from being involved in Jalen’s problems. If you are Chris Steele, you have to protect your brand. Florida has had a reputation and this does nothing to help it. It actually perpetuates. It.
I don’t blame Steele for doing what he needs to do to protect himself. I just think it’s wrong to chastise Mullen for not jumping all over it immediately without knowing the exact details. I equate it to being a helicopter parent. You’re not doing the kid justice by catering to every situation as soon as it arises. Sometimes kids need to work out their issues and grow from them. I don’t believe for a second every other coach in America would’ve jumped all over it. It’s unfortunate that this turned out like it did and now hindsight’s 20/20 and “Mullen should’ve done something about it immediately”. That’s the part that’s ridiculous to me. That’s the easy thing to say now.
I can see where you’re coming from, and honestly I would say it’s a little drastic to put the blame all on the head coach, because blaming him for something as miniscule as a room change (albeit one with huge consquences in the end) is probably not the ideal path.
The issue lies with the administration standard that leads to a request like that getting ignored and kicked down the road, and the worst-case scenario that Steele was afraid of did happen, and he decided that was enough for him.
I get what you are saying. This is similar to what Meyer dealt with last year. Not the same but similar in that Dan will take the heat for someone else’s actions. It’s why he gets paid the big $$$. We don’t know what was said or done behind the scenes but inaction is always seen as the bigger problem these days. Media is going to make these things out to be bigger than they probably are. The result is still the same. UF and Dan are left with a black eye.
Kirby I’d love to know what the procedure with that is for sure and that would definitely shed a better light on this and allow for more blame to be placed. It very well could be that unless someone is in imminent danger, then you wait till the end of the semester to move them. Then it becomes what exactly did Steele say to Mullen and did Mullen feel he was in imminent danger. This isn’t a situation where you can’t jump to exact conclusions without knowing exact details. People can claim what was said all they want but no one knows except the people in that room at the time.
“Alboverdi reported, and SDS confirmed through multiple sources, including one with the University Police Department, that Steele had concerns about Jones that predated the early April sexual battery incidents wherein Jones was implicated.”
Facts Neil
Joe did you even read the article?
“Alboverdi reported, and SDS confirmed through multiple sources, including one with the University Police Department, that Steele had concerns about Jones that predated the early April sexual battery incidents wherein Jones was implicated”
Take your Gator goggles off and formulate an objective opinion. Mullen should have addressed those concerns.
Saying this site has confirmed multiple sources like it has any journalistic integrity is funny. With all their sources there is still no direct quote during his conversation about moving. You should take into consideration that this is the same writer who just told you that he has meticulously proven his opinion column after column. His OPINION mind you was proven. He cites his own column as proof. I’m not disagreeing with your points since the optics line up. I am saying that our opinions aren’t totally informed.
And that’s exactly why smart and successful head coaches keep their yap shut or are very careful what they say. This stuff in Gainesville is bad, but what makes it exceedingly more embarrassing than it would otherwise have been is Mullen’s mouth. Exponentially worse.
Joe. Joe. Joe joe joe joe.
Joe!
Dan Mullen has lost control of the Florida Gators.
Chris Steele predicted it.
Quit trying to run; best leave that to the players.
I don’t think it’s a lot of coincidence but anything is possible. Sounds like he saw trouble coming and even brought it to the coaches attention. I can see this as a bit troubling. But I like everyone else on here am not privy to details and history.
That is some Butch Jones stuff right there…
Brick by brick.
Mullen will build his program one recruit transferring out at a time.
And the face-plant bad news is apparently gaining steam for Dandy Dan. My reading of UF message boards seems to indicate an expectation of at least 3 recruits from this top-ten 2019 class failing to qualify academically. That would be 5 gone. And the first 2020 decommitment following this ugliness in Gainesville just happened.
UGA’s Brandon Adams tweeted earlier: “Mullen has gone from telling jokes to being one.”
My bad – Bryce was a 2021 commit. I do expect some blowback in the 2020 class, though.
This is incredibly embarrassing for Florida’s coaching staff. We’ve all been able to say that a lot this decade, but I believe this controversy takes the cake. This kid had the wisdom to voice his concerns about his dirtbag of a roommate, and they gave him an unbelievably moronic, bureaucratic response. They were practically begging for something horrible to happen between January and the beginning of summer.
Soak it up Gator fans, this is just the beginning of the Little Urban era.
My favorite shade is freudenschade!!!
It’s schadenfreude…
I know it is… but it doesn’t work right-ways, it only works backwards.
Either way, today was hilarious. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 14,000.
It’s funny you think that is spelled backwards.
This program can’t get out of it’s own way. I’ll always be a fan, but I’m getting tired of of these headlines.
Maybe that 14,000 that they were all tweeting about meant what their recruiting ranking was going to be after the month of May….
April showers bring May flowers for some of us.
Hahaha. Savage.
Dan needs a shark right about now.
First and foremost I must say I am disappointed as a UF fan and hate to say it but some of these UGA fans are right. Mullen taking shots on UGa was fine at first but now it makes him look really stupid. With what I read about the incident Chris steele asked multiple times to be moved to a new dorm as well as Jalon Jones not getting along with the team a well as there appeared to be character concerns during his recruitment. So the fact Mullen and the staff didn’t take Steele serious is completely on them. I understand why Steele is leaving and wish him the best of luck wherever he goes. I am very disappointed in Mullen because ultimately the buck stops with him and if he doesn’t start making some changes this could be the beginning of the end for him.
A mature response. Not a UF fan, but for the sake of the people who are affected I would prefer that this kind of stuff didn’t occur. Football is more fun when it’s about the game than when it is overshadowed by this kind of thing, and winning is better when the opponent is good.
On top of all of this it appears more bad news is coming. There is rumors of another player transferring, players failing drug tests, and 3 player academically ineligible. It appears Mullen is making the same mistake as his 2 predecessors. He is unwilling to adapt and hire the best coachs and rather is being loyal to coaches not pulling their weight. This happened to Muschamp and the offense as well as McElwien not firing Nussmier. All these issues arise due to lack of being able to recruit and taking easy prospects because other people dont want them. Last year we took watkins who had major character issues and this year with Jones and possibly 3 guys academically ineligible. Right now the perception of this program is not good which will make it even harder to recruit for Mullen. If Mullen doesn’t start making some changes and bring in 2-3 elite recruiters then I think this will be the beginning of the end for him here.
Good
solid response
As much as UGA fans despised Spurrier’s mouth, he backed it up and ran a clean, drama-free program. His program was the envy of everyone. Between the revelations that have come out of the Meyer years and then the colossal credit card fraud scandal, etc of the Mac years, Florida needed a period of PR stability to aid recruiting and help the fan base restore their confidence. Not sure how much more bad news is coming, or how far these repercussions will go, but this is exactly what Florida DIDN’T need at this time.
Very sad and pathetic situation
Dan “Chuckles the Clown” has gone from being funny to being pathetic.
Bash all you will Neil, you do have the bully pulpit as a reporter of the article. I’ve posed this question and haven’t heard an answer from reliable sources, did Chris state why he wanted to switch roommates? You say he expressed concern and that in itself would be a reason to start more investing the situation. That would be on the staff if shenanigans were going on, but if you just don’t really get along, grow up suck it up and wait till summer. Now that said, the incident with Jones did happen and I think with Chris’s name coming up as a person to question by mere association as a roommate is only that, but him and his family have the right to remove him for the purpose of his future. You tour this as some huge thing that culturally Dan Mullen is involved in creating a horrible culture, dude you know what your doing and glorifying your ability to create a problem for more of a story which in turn can destroy someone or something. How big a Florida fan are you? Or better yet, how much do you dislike UF??
You obviously can’t draw a reasonable conclusion. He was asking in January, three months before the arrest, to be moved. He asked more than once. Do you think Steele is a fortune teller and had a premonition that Jones was trouble? Mullen and his wife flew to California and begged the kid to stay. Does that sound like a “grow up suck it up” response?
Mullin’s now appears to be the joke after talking trash and ignoring concerns from one of the stars of his celebrated class. He’s definitely done gone and $hit in his own nest.
Mullin
Put himself in position to become the perfect scapegoat for any faltering this season.
“Mullen arrived in Gainesville talking about restoring the “Gator standard,” not only on the field, but off it.”
It’s pretty clear that Dan Mullen is restoring the “Gator standard” — just the Urban Meyer one.
This is great.
Lots of us have seen coaches shoot themselves in the foot, but Mullen is taking the cake.
I really think Coach Dan Mulligan is not stable at all.
I’ve heard more than once that Dan always want to be considered the smartest/cleverest guy in the room, and that it’s a big part of his personality. If so, I have no doubt this contributes to his incessant trolling/sniping comments, which go back years. Maybe some MSU fans can weigh in on that?
ADB…Dan is a Florida man!!!!! I heard he might get his own reality show called ” MULLIGANS ISLAND. ” But hey, this guy has a unique brain!!!
When they approached him about doing a ( Hogan knows best ) style reality show called MULLIGANS ISLAND. But then later CHANGED TO, SWAMPY TOP. He said. ” Great but I demand creative control and I WANNA KNOW WHO IS PLAYING DAN MULLEN IN THIS SHOW!!! ”
Then after producers ask him. ” Are you serious man? ” Mullen allegedly answered with a straight lost face. ” Hey man, I wanna know who is gonna be kissing Mrs. Mullen!!! Unless we can leave the kissing scenes out and just maybe have hugs instead??? ” Producers realized he was dead serious and said. ” Okay man, we will see. ” Then Mullen allegedly blurted out. ” I think Brad Pitt looks a lot like me!!! I would be willing to help in paying him , if we can actually get him??? ”
And then continued…….
” Hey remind him that I worked for Urban Meyer, okay??? ” ” Oh and yes. Tell him if he wants the role. It’s a demanding one!!! Remind him that I HAVE CREATIVE CONTROL and HE NEEDS TO LEARN ( DUCK, DUCK GOOSE!!!! Otherwise get another actor. ”
Realizing he was lost and serious as always. They almost shook their heads and left. But the head producer said. ” HEY DAN, UMM, THIS IS A REALITY SHOW, IF WE DO IT. You do understand right??? I mean why do we need BRAD PITT??? ”
Mullen allegedly answered extremely seriously. ” Hey man, this is MY LIFE WE’RE TALKING ABOUT!!!! I HAVE CREATIVE CONTROL RIGHT??? ” The producer just said. ” YEP.”
Then Mullen allegedly stomped his foot and said. ” HEY, WHEN THEY DID HOGAN KNOWS BEST. THEY GOT AN ACTOR WHO RESEMBLED HOGAN!!! If we do SWAMPY TOP, WE ARE DARN SURE GETTING AN ACTOR WHO LOOKS LIKE DAN MULLEN!!!!! Brad Pitt is my first choice but hey I also saw a model in some magazine. They say he is one of the sexiest guys on earth and A GREAT ACTOR!!!!
So if Brad gets hard to work with. Remind him that we do have another actor who is MY SPITTING IMAGE!!!! ” With this he quoted some old Steve Spurrier joke WRONG!!! Then said. ” Let’s go!!!! ” Then ran out the door leaving producers speechless!!!! BUT THEN CAME CRASHING BACK IN KNOCKING THE GARBAGE CAN OVER. As he then challenged him to a THUMB WRESTLING MATCH, CLAIMING HE WAS THE UNDISPUTED CHAMPION!!!
WELL….I bet some Florida fans still don’t get the point or the joke!!!
PS. How many GATOR FANS realize that MRS. MULLEN THINKS THEY ARE CRAZY?? She said it OPENLY AT MISSISSIPPI STATE!!!!!!
King Negan
Hate to remind everyone but DAN MULLEN and his 10 wins in YEAR one was not his doing!!! JIM MAC also had the same kind of season and better WITH THE SAME PLAYERS AND NOT INCLUDING THE INCOMING CLASS OF 2018!!!
Face it COACH MAC was forced to suspend what 10 or 11 players including their TOP WR and Jordan Scarlett!!!! Not to mention the others as well as DEPTH PLAYERS!!!!!
Then Mullen through away a real 5 star QB chasing Emery Jones who still is not ready!!!!!
So what did Mullen do??? Franks was a TRUE FRESHMAN under Jim Mac if I’m not mistaken. Redshirt guy at best or whatever you call your people!!!
He was thrown to the lions in the cocktail party against THE BEST TEAM IN THE COUNTRY. He is still not over that 2017 42-7 BEATING!!!! Anyway he was YOUNG and over matched!!!!! He didn’t have his top running back or top WR!!! So what were you GATOR FANS THINKING????? You had become accustomed in recent years of having lots of success against basically Mark Richt who was a great coach but not a lot of luck!!! But even Richt had beaten you to not long ago!!!
Sorry but MARK RICHT is a lot better coach than DAN MULLEN!!! He is not a clown and is honest!!!!!
I still don’t know how much I even trust Dan Mullen. He looks sneaky to me!!!!! His greatest fame came under URBAN LIAR!!!! He has done officially NOTHING yet on his own!!!! Nothing but DESTROY WHAT WAS A PROMISING RECRUITING CLASS WHEN HE CAME IN!!!! The one he just signed. Well they are ALREADY ON THE WAY OUT THE DOOR!!!!
I don’t always believe every sexual assault charge I hear these days. But when your roommate wants to move out. It makes me wonder!!! I hope it’s a lie. But the state of Florida has had a bad reputation ever since Jamist Winston walked free THANKS TO FLORIDA COPS!!!!!
I truly believe that is why the TOP RECRUITS are leaving the state of Florida. Along with all their teams being NOT SO GREAT ANYMORE!!!! But to me it proves they are quality people and not just players!!!
PS. Mr Steele, I wish you would consider UGA. But if not. Please leave the SEC LOL. Either way good luck son. Please, don’t go to Saban. He is a prison warden that is just not nice!!! Either way. Good luck and God bless.
Go dawgs!!!!!
King Negan uga fan
@CLAUSONorwhatever… No, MULLEN IS TAKING HEAT FOR HIS BIG FAT MOUTH!!!! And the fact that HE DID NOTHING TO HELP HIS PLAYER GET AWAY FROM WHO HE FELT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH!!!!
And NO I AM NOT SAYING THAT J Jones is guilty of anything. I wasn’t there!!!
But if there is a real VICTIM, then let’s listen once in a while!!!! But of course allow J Jones to defend himself if needed!!!! Let real justice be done in the end with FAIR TREATMENT OF ALL!!!
With what we now know about this ordeal Neil should write a retraction or at the very least apologize for this trash. It is clear that this was nothing more than a soft, homesick kid that leaned on a convenient loophole while using a serious matter as a disguise for his intent on leaving. Throwing everyone associated with the program under the bus along the way. How “courageous”. And, of course Mullen & staff couldn’t comment on it …but when the players took to social media to show their support, you trashed them too.
Everyone makes mistakes. But letting this stand out there for 2 months without follow up on the true nature behind it is at the very least unprofessional. You should be embarrassed.
“Courageous”… big time LOL.