Florida assistant coach suspended three games for pregame altercation with LSU

Jeff Hauser

Florida assistant coach suspended three games for pregame altercation with LSU  image

Florida Gators running back coach Jabbar Juluke was suspended three games for his involvement in the pregame altercation at LSU last Saturday, according to a press release by SEC.

"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. "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 will miss Saturday's game against No. 4 Miami, No. 8 Texas (Oct. 4) and at No. 10 Texas A&M (Oct. 11). Before Florida's 20-10 loss in Death Valley, both teams had multiple altercations. Juluke apologized to both programs for his action and released a statement.

“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. "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."

Florida coach Billy Napier followed up with his own statement. “Coach Juluke’s actions prior to our game against LSU are not up to the standard of our programs. Coach Juluke is a man of character and has taken full responsibility for his actions. I believe Coach Juluke will learn from this experience and be better for it.”

Since following Napier from Louisiana, Juluke has been one of Florida's top assistant coaches. He guided the Gators backs to a near 2000-yard season in 2024. He was also nominated for the Broyles Award, which is given to the nation's top assistant coach.

Florida heads south to face Miami on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

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Jeff Hauser

Jeff Hauser is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He has over twenty years of experience and is a two-time Emmy Award winner, Heisman Trophy and Biletnikoff Award voter. Among the events he has covered are the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, World Series, World Cup, and WBC Boxing. Hauser is a regular guest on FOX Sports and ESPN Radio. He previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, SB Nation and Athlon Sports.