The sophomore had missed most of fall camp due to what coach Dan Mullen called a “family situation.” However, reports surfaced last week that Huggins had been reported to Florida’s Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution department twice last year.
One of those times, Huggins was accused of choking his tutor in October after she held on to his phone so he would be present for a session, per 247Sports. She declined to press charges.
Huggins also was reported when marijuana was found in his dorm room.
Mullen said Huggins’ absence had nothing to do with the reported incidents from last fall.
“No (it’s not related),” Mullen said Tuesday. “No, that’s all been handled.”
Even though the choking incident went unreported, Huggins was punished internally and missed five games last season due to suspension.
Huggins is the fifth member of the Gators team to have been reported for a violence issue against a woman under second-year coach Mullen, the Tampa Bay Times noted last week.
Aside from Huggins allegedly choking his tutor, quarterback Jalon Jones was accused of sexual battery by two different women in April. Even though the women declined to press charges, Jones transferred.
Also in April, then-assistant director of player personnel Otis Yelverton was arrested after his ex-girlfriend accused him of cyberstalking her and threatening to blow up her car. The case was dropped, but Yelverton was fired from his position.
Defensive back Brian Edwards was accused of grabbing his girlfriend by the neck during a fight, but that case was dropped due to insufficient evidence. He has since transferred to Central Michigan to play under former Florida coach Jim McElwain.
In July 2018, incoming freshman defensive back Justin Watkins was arrested after he was accused of hitting and choking his girlfriend, as well as kidnapping and false imprisonment. He was released from the program shortly after.
