Florida assistant football coach suspended for 3 games over pregame altercation

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Florida Gators assistant football coach Jabbar Juluke was suspended for three games on Tuesday for his role in a pregame altercation ahead of the team’s loss to LSU.

The SEC and the Gators program jointly announced the suspension for the running backs coach, who is also the associate head coach under Billy Napier.

“Jabbar Juluke’s conduct during the pregame altercation reflects behavior that is unacceptable and not aligned with the standards of the Southeastern Conference,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement. “Coaches are expected to be leaders and to de-escalate tense situations, and that did not happen in this circumstance. This suspension is appropriate, and any future misconduct by Jabbar Juluke will result in more severe disciplinary action.”

Players from both the Gators and the Tigers were involved in pregame incidents. However, Juluke’s involvement wasn’t spelled out in the SEC release.

He apologized for his role and suggested he got into an incident with a Tigers player.

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“I, first, would like to apologize to both Florida and LSU universities, their teams, staff and fans. I also sincerely apologize to the young athlete and his family,” he said, via ESPN. “On Saturday, I reacted in a manner I’m not proud of. There’s no excuse for my behavior and I take full responsibility for my actions. In this game, emotional situations occur and bad reactions happen. I regret my reaction and commit to using this moment to strengthen my emotional intelligence.

“I know more is expected of us as coaches, and I commit to living up to that expectation. I believe growth is in ownership and learning from the good and the bad. I intend to use this situation as a teachable moment, not only for myself, but for those I impact. Again, I offer my sincerest apologies to both institutions and the staffs and families involved.”

Juluke will miss games against the Miami Hurricanes, Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies.