The University of Florida Police Department had their hands full on Monday. While Freshman quarterback Treon Harris continues to be under investigation for sexual battery, the UFPD was called about football players again on Monday night.
Major Brad Barber of the UFPD told Gator Country that police were called to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium last night to respond to reports of an altercation between two men.
The incident report stated that when officer Stephanie Williams arrived at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium only Skyler Mornhinweg, defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson and assistant athletics director George Wynn were on the scene. Wynn told Williams he was in his office at the time and “had no knowledge of the physical fight.” Robinson said that the team would “handle the issue internally” and Mornhinweg who “had small lacerations on his lower lip” completed a Complaint Withdrawal Affidavit with no intent to prosecute Willis.
Willis, who was not on the scene at the time, was reached the following day (Tuesday). Willis told Williams that Mornhinweg approached him regarding a pair of cleats that Mornhinweg said went missing from his locker. Mornhinweg told Willis that the missing pair of cleats — that had his number 17 on them — were found by a staff member in Willis’ locker.
Willis says he felt threatened by the way Mornhinweg was standing over him while he was sitting down eating dinner outside of the stadium so he stood up, face-to-face with Mornhinweg. Willis shoved Mornhinweg, who responded by striking Willis with a closed fist in the chin. Willis then hit Mornhinweg in the mouth.
A five-star recruit out of Edna Karr high school in New Orleans, Louisiana, Willis has played sparingly to this point of his freshman season but saw an increased workload last week with senior Leon Orr missing the game with an injury.
Mornhinweg started the final three games for the Gators last season after Jeff Driskel and Tyler Murphy were lost due to injury. Mornhinweg has served as a backup quarterback this season but has yet to earn playing time.
Barber told Gator Country that because both players declined to pursue charges that this matter was finished from a legal standpoint. Florida will likley dole out their own punishment for both players in house.
Will Muschamp’s Monday press conference was postponed to Wednesday afternoon after the new that Treon Harris was involved in a sexual battery investigation. He will meet with national media on the weekly SEC teleconference at 11:20 a.m. and with local media for the first time since both incidents occurred on Sunday morning and Monday night.
Taking someones cleats? Gosh-at least take the numbers off! Our own guys punching each other? I see there’s a serene sense of focus developing as we inch towards this rather important game this weekend. I’m trying to remember if I was as idiotic when I was this age. I think I was, although, I wasn’t on a major college team and under a microscope. Players, dudes…LSU?
Fighting over free cleats?
Morningwood shouldn’t have got in Willis’ face. I don’t blame Willis for pushing him. Morningwood is fortunate they didn’t have to call a rescue unit. He should have let yhe coaches find out what happened. It could have been a prank, Willis could have found them laying out or someone vould have put them in his locker. I find it hard to believe Willis would steal free cleats, with another player’s # on them.