Florida Coach Suspended Three Games After Heated Pregame Incident

Florida assistant coach Jabbar Juluke has been suspended three games following a pregame altercation before the Gators matchup with LSU on Saturday, Sept. 14, the SEC and the university announced Monday.

Juluke, who serves as Florida’s associate head coach and running backs coach, was disciplined after league officials determined his actions crossed the line of what is acceptable for a coach representing both his school and the conference.

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Greg Sankey Addresses the Suspension

“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.”

Juluke, who previously coached at LSU before joining Billy Napier’s Florida staff in 2022, issued an apology accepting full responsibility for his actions.

“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,” Juluke said.

“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… 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.”

Florida Leadership Responds

Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin and head coach Billy Napier both expressed disappointment in the incident but voiced confidence that Juluke will grow from the suspension.

“Jabbar has consistently been an upstanding member of our staff, and I commend him for accepting responsibility in this situation,” Stricklin said.

“We will continue to support him as he works to meet the high standards we set for our program.”

Napier echoed that message, calling the veteran coach “a man of character” despite the misstep.

“Coach Juluke’s actions prior to our game against LSU are not up to the standard of our program,” Napier said.

“Coach Juluke has taken full responsibility for his actions. I believe Coach Juluke will learn from this experience and be better for it.”

Juluke will miss Florida’s next three games but is expected to return later this season.